CoStar Group reviews

I had the unfortunate experience of working for Costar, the "Corporate Devil". It was nothing short of a nightmare. As an architectural photographer with years of experience, I thought I had encountered all types of clients and roles at varity of comapnies, but this particular one set a new low. Micromanagement Hell: From the start, I was excited to bring my creativity and expertise to the project, but that excitement quickly vanished. The management team, led by someone I can only describe as a corporate devil, had an incessant need to control every tiny detail. They would hover over me during shoots, nitpicking the most minor and irrelevant aspects of my work. Even the angle of shadows or the exact shade of the building’s facade was scrutinized to an absurd degree. Illogical Demands: The real frustration came from their illogical and often contradictory requests. One moment they wanted dramatic, artistic shots that played with light and shadow. The next, they were insisting on sterile, overly lit images that drained the architectural beauty from the subject. There was no clear vision, just a constant back-and-forth that left me wondering if they even knew what they wanted. No Respect for Expertise: Despite hiring me as a professional, they constantly second-guessed my every decision. It felt like they wanted to manage the creative process without having the slightest idea of how photography works. Suggestions I made based on years of industry knowledge were dismissed out of hand, replaced with impractical and nonsensical ideas that made no sense from either an artistic or technical standpoint. Stressful Environment: On top of everything, the work environment was toxic. Communication was poor, and the pressure they exerted felt like they were intentionally trying to create stress. Deadlines shifted at the last minute, and the lack of trust in my abilities made it nearly impossible to produce quality work. In the end, I regretted ever taking on this project. The time and energy I poured into it weren’t worth the stress and frustration. For any photographer, especially in the architectural field, I can only advise steering clear of a role that exhibits these red flags early on. No amount of money is worth the strain of working with such illogical and controlling management.

-Severe corporate power trip! -Several human-forward benefits were stripped away within months of starting -Demands you take PTO for absolutely anything that takes you away from the office instead of providing an opportunity to flexibly make up that time before/after hours. During a nasty bout with COVID, I had to take unpaid time off because they forced me to use my sick time to take my family member to medical appointments (instead of making up that time later) -CEO hates remote work, and has mocked other companies for providing that as a full-time option for their workers. I would not be surprised to see Costar make a full return to office within the next year or so -Executive leadership will micromanage how software is implemented even though it’s far beyond their expertise -A textbook example of a company that puts profits over people (massive monopoly, stripping away benefits, “one size fits all”-style management) -Actively discourages people from discussing pay with each other, which is against the law in California according to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Given that Costar employs a lot of people through visas, I would not be surprised to hear this is a strategic move to make more money by not paying people equally.