Pros
Work from Home (if over 30 miles from office) Acceptable Pay Good Benefits
Cons
No Work-Life Balance No Integrity from Leadership Ludicrous Workloads Poor Use of Technology and Personnel Terrible Communication Up and Down the Organziation Culture of Pain A friend of mine gave me some advice about job hunting a few years ago: "Always show up to your interview about thirty minutes early," he said. "Watch the people walking around the building. If more than half look miserable, walk out." I wished I'd remembered his advice when I interviewed with this company. From the first interview until the day I escaped I'd never seen a more sullen workplace in my two decades in IT. It was a pit of despair. There are multiple reasons for the morale issues: Talented, capable engineers worked a ridiculous number of hours per week. Putting in anything under 45 hours per week was considered slacking." Exempt employees were treated as if the company owned all of their time. (One of my colleagues had to call into a meeting from the Emergency Room where they'd taken a family member because our supervisor insisted that they had to be part of the call. They didn't.) Lip service was given to career paths and progression, but action never followed. Training was non-existent. Technology was outdated, and poorly-implemented. Leadership re-organizations were constant. (I had six bosses in four years.) There was no real sense of job security... I could write pages about the things I've experienced and witnessed in my four years, but that would waste my time and yours. Bottom line: ESI is not a company that I could recommend to my professional colleagues. Indeed, I warned more than a few away. Until I here otherwise from my former colleagues who are still sadly with the firm, I'll continue to do so.