Pros
-Relatively friendly to hiring new grads, so this is a good back-up option for your first job out of college. -The company is always expanding its capabilities and bringing on new processes, so if you'd like to 'step up' and take leadership where there is none, you can. -The poorly defined job roles allow you to wear many hats and perform multiple engineering functions, providing diverse experiences. -Friendly college campus vibe among engineers. The average engineer is in their mid-20s. (I'm genuinely surprised when I come across anyone older than 30.) You can grab a beer and talk smack about the company with most of your coworkers. -CEO seems like a nice guy.
Cons
-Management loves to micromanage and pretend they're just a small company. A mom and pop medical supply shop with international distribution and a billion dollars in assets. -Management is bad at managing and embarks upon major multi-million dollar projects without a clear plan or realistic expectations. $15 million project with no defined project manager? That's fine, I'm sure things will just work themselves out eventually... -Management at the highest level are all related somehow. Being family-owned has its pros and cons, but just remember that a penny saved is a penny earned (of inheritance) when the president rejects your purchase requests and tell you to check eBay for critical equipment (on multiple occasions). -Very low pay and un-competitive benefits package. They will match a whole 1% of your salary for your 401k, so you're essentially on your own for retirement savings. Combine that with salaries that are routinely ~$20k below local market rate for the same role/area and you have a situation where it is actively against your own best interest to stay longer than two years. Good resume building experience but a terrible place to stay for a long term career, and everyone there knows it. I have had co-workers I hardly know encourage me to apply to better companies on multiple occasions.
