Pros
If you are looking for a career in the outdoor sports industry, have an active lifestyle, or just want to work in a place surrounded with fun-loving people, getting hired at Burton is put simply: a wonderful gift. Working there is not merely a job, it is a joy. The culture is very young at heart, and it is infectious. My former colleagues and I are snowboarders: we worked there because we wanted to be there. I remember a marketing campaign for the Peace Corps many years ago: "It's the toughest job you'll ever love". I'm not so sure; I think Burton could give the Peace Corps a run for it's money. People work very, very hard at Burton. Burton creates the newest technology in snowboard gear year after year. Everyone from Jake, to the senior management, to the designers, to the engineers, to product managers, to the lab, to quality control and production; all have a hand in the thing Burton calls "The Process" - bringing an idea to life. Creating and bringing these ideas to fruition takes a lot of work and communication with colleagues around the world in all kinds of crazy tome zones. The company is constantly moving forward, and you may find yourself working long hours to keep pace. But if you tend to be a social, out-of-the-house, night-owl type of person, and you find yourself willing, be prepared to burn off some stress. Burton people party just as hard as they work. They have creative party themes; some are on the town and often times right at the office on a Friday afternoon. If partying isn't always your cup of tea, you can always bring your dog to work. Sometimes a pat on your best friend's head, or your furry friend sleeping at your feet can break some of the tension. Many departments have a flexible work schedule, so if can put of your daily workload into the evening, why not put your Burton-sponsored season pass to Stowe to use? Ride in the morning on a powder day, and try to wipe off your grin for the rest of your day while you plug away at your computer. An employee starting here can learn many new things about business, design, and product cycles. If one is willing, there is certainly room for advancement, and experience gained can translate to many other careers and shine up a resume. All things said: if you are blessed with the opportunity to work here, be prepared to meet some of the greatest people on Earth and make some life-long friends.
Cons
Long hours. In a salary position, it is all too easy to work 10+ hours every day. I would answer 100+ emails every day, only to get responses to them, in addition to another hundred. Emails...endless emails! It can be difficult to leave work at the office. By it's very nature, the outdoor sports market is always fluctuating. The Industries' health has been good at times, but often times it's not. Burton is very sensitive to these fluctuations. And when times are tough, the belts often get tightened and department budgets get cut. Every year, the Finance Group tallies all of the numbers from the profits and expenditures of the previous year. If these numbers fall short of expectations, some people begin looking over their shoulders for the next 6 weeks; checking to see if there's a target on their back. During my tenure at Burton, I saw dozens of coworkers and friends become the victims of layoffs. No one was immune to departmental cuts. The most familiar to those in the industry was Burton's board factory in Burlington, VT closing because it wasn't as profitable as other factories in Asia and Europe.