Application Tester - Applications Test Analyst Artisan Crew Engineering Employee Review

There are many pros and cons about working for a small business, and what may be a pro to me could be a con to the next person. I came from Corporate America where we had over 25K employees and it bottled down to an employee ID unless you were an executive or their assistant – I was the latter of the two. I went from strict written guidelines and a formal work environment to being more self-sufficient and independent at ACE. While I enjoy the company of others, I do prefer to work and learn alone and that is something that a small business can offer. (Here is where the pro/con debate begins) There is no formal “training” period where you shadow someone for a few weeks to learn the job, you are given the tools to successfully complete a task/project and once it has been passed to you, it is yours and you should know it inside and out. There’s a sense of pride when you know something well and this is a time for instant gratification because you alone control how the outcome will be. There is no one to blame if the task was done incorrectly because you were in charge of it so you need to either have thick skin or get some if you are the type that doesn’t take responsibility when something goes wrong. When you are given an assignment, be sure to ask questions so you clearly know what they are expecting/what is expected from you because you can waste a lot of time doing an assignment when you “think” you know what they want and you were off target. There are many opportunities to offer your feedback/input into a project and although your idea may not be used, it’s nice to know that your idea was heard and there’s that chance you could provide the golden ticket idea to a project! Some days you will have a full staff in the office and others you will only have a few so if you crave constant human stimulation/interaction then this isn’t the place for you. There are also days when the work load exceeds the amount of time you have in the day so you need to be able to prioritize your day and be flexible because an unexpected deadline could pop up and you need to be able to adjust. If you want a set daily routine with no surprises then a small business definitely isn’t for you because you get to wear a variety of hats and that in itself is a learning experience and can be very rewarding. Although the starting pay is a bit low, there’s room to grow and if you want to learn a skill or think you have an interest in another facet of the business then there’s a place for you to try your hand to see if it’s for you. The more money you can bring in (marketing, brainstorming new products, etc.) the more money you can make so if you have the drive/passion and treat the business as if it were your own, then you can climb the ladder and make more money. With any work environment, if you give respect you will receive respect and working for a small business isn’t for everyone but I enjoy working there and it helps me learn how to run a business from the bottom to the top which is priceless.

See the "pros" section because what may be a pro to me could be a con to you.

Pros - Ability to solve customer issues in the best way I think fits the situation so long as it is a win-win outcome; Small company, but rapport among employees is greater than that of your typical large office; Help is always there if I absolutely need it; I feel respected; I am trusted that my work is beyond the best of my ability; I work with talented individuals who all have different strengths and are able to share their knowledge; I feel that I have gained the most valuable/real experience at this company that helps me grow even in my own personal life; Everyone is in the same building; I actually like coming to work.

Cons - The following are points that people who worked for a "big" company may not like: You are expected to make your own decisions and also have a reason behind it; There is no "standard operating procedure" for every task; You will not do the same exact thing everyday; Checking your work is YOUR job; You will use your OWN brain; Plenty of extremely good nearby restaurants =)