I could really write a 20 page essay on why I hated my experience there. The "metrics" never truly show how hard someone works. I could be put on hold for 2 minutes while another call will actually have some data collection but only be 1:59. There is no room to grow within the company. A lot of the people you will be working with do not care on bit about commercial real estate. It is only a day job to them. In fact, managers who will be managing you do not care about commercial real estate. Every Monday, people who I did not know would just say "ughh so mad its Monday again". People did not want to be at work! Everyone I did work with was ALWAYS looking for another opportunity. People who went to work for Sales, Research, Recruiting, Accounting etc all hated their work.
Loopnet is A LOT better in that the information is "cleaner" and updated. CoStar information in reality is not worth what the clients pay for. I know this because I personally use both CoStar and Loopnet for outside of work purposes. (Be sure to use the company just as much as they use you)
Don't depend on HR to help you if you have troubles either. I've seen it all when it comes to mistreatment by mangers based on someone's sex or race. Reports were made to HR but no action was made towards the manager.
To progress through this company is really a luck of the draw. Hope that you get a manager that is somewhat nice. If you do, you still have to get suck up to your manager or get them to like you enough for them to even consider recommending you for another job within the company.
For what researchers go through 40k is just not enough. To get paid (actually less after taxes) as much as what my college cost per year doesn't cut it. The job doesn't require a college degree but since they make it a requirement, CoStar needs to pay out more than the debt I acquired per year to even be educated for their "high level" job plus the cost of living in DC. For the stress anyone is put under, its just not worth 40k. My two cents? Know your worth and don't waste your life away at a desk, making calls, for change that will barely pay for you to live in the DC area for another month. Don't do a mundane job so Andy Florance can only live his dream out by building a CRE information powerhouse. If you do take this job, make sure you get as much out of them as they get out of you.
