Direct management are very condescending and rude. They don't accept any responsibility and always try to force a problem onto the easiest target. When management make a mistake they try and find a flaw in something else to brush over what they have did wrong. Even when things are going perfect there is always a problem.
More senior staff constantly shovel their tasks onto the newer team members and talk about co-workers behind their back.
The salary is below average (50% less than other organizations in the same area and role). On numerous occasions the company did not keep their word in terms of raising salary.
The work hours are minimum 45-50 hours a week. You will work weekends at least once a month once outside initial training and you will not receive any thanks for doing so.
Training although provided was often inadequate. You will do a course which is irrelevant to the work you are doing. Putting money in a course is seen as training but the course materials aren't reviewed before the money is spent. It's wasting credits. I was trained in languages I didn't ever use but expected to know languages that I received no training on. The company do not pay for certifications which blocks you from upskilling or building salary.
The workload is not calculated well by management. Constant context switching, unrelated mammoth tasks always miraculously surface when you are at a critical stage with your current tasks. It is impossible to meet deadlines for every task in the normal working hours. Even when you meet deadlines the management still find something to complain about. If a senior employee leaves the team member lowest in the hierarchy will be expected to do all of the ex-employees tasks along with their current ones without any change in pay grade or position. When I was in full day training I often still had to work evenings to avoid management complaining, there were regular days I worked 11-12 hours and had lunch at my desk.
Turnaround is also exceptionally high and because of this no one really knows how things work.
If you are an intern CME is a good experience as you move around departments. I could deal with the poor salary but the rude bullying management and senior staff constantly shovelling work while doing nothing was a step too far. No matter what reputation CME used to have there are many other opportunities in other organizations that will pay you the salary you deserve, respect you as a team member and not overwork you. The management issue was specific to the Belfast office.
