Pros
I have a graduate degree and spent the past year abroad working for a diplomatic office. I’m new to the Atlanta area, originally from the NYC tri-state area. I was hesitant at first because I was told what the possibilities could be. Whatever my initial thoughts, I was granted an opportunity with the company. My first impression was positive. I liked what I saw. My next impression occurred when I met the staff. That gave me a way to gauge what this company is really about, unfiltered. I saw people get promoted, I saw people move forward and escalate in their respective categories into the positions of ownership and management. It’s one thing to hear about opportunities…it’s another to see it with your eyes. I was convinced. I’ve been here just shy of two months, I’ve recently been promoted and everything they told me from the start has come to fruition. Yes it is challenging, yes people will fail and then blame the company for it. My take is that anyone who you see that has success, didn’t get that by taking it easy. This company gives you support and the push you need to get to where you have to go. Your internal motivation is the fuel. I see the people who fail think negatively of this and then I wonder if they realize that the most successful people in the world had to sacrifice something to get to the top. Some of the people who I see fail have failed in other endeavors in life. Working here has made me really take a look at myself and about what I want in life and in my career. For some people, the answer is not what they like, hence their negatively at failing. I was promised that if I do what they tell me and I carry my motivation and energy into the field, the opportunities are endless. They have kept their end so far and I feel very fortunate and privileged to have gained a place in the family of this organization. They have an open door policy and I have never felt that I have not belonged, even though I am fresh in the organization and I’m not even originally from the area.
Cons
Not necessarily a con, but the work is challenging and you work a full week. Overtime is situational. Being flexible with a schedule is a plus. The more time and energy you devote, the better the chance of success. I wouldn't recommend this position for someone who likes to call out a couple times a month or take a weekend off every other week. You will work many days and you will work weekends. This is a con to some. For me, it was more of an opportunity to promote faster. Its really about perception. If you want to work hard, if you like to separate yourself from the pack of people just making it in life, then this is the grounds to build a strong foundation. You really get to analyze your internal motivations and goals. For some people, that reality is an ugly truth. Another ugly truth, the weak will fail, the strong will prevail. There were days early on where I questioned if this was a right move for me. When I saw actual results from colleagues and I heard the unfiltered truth of what this career entails....well, that is the honesty that I personally look for (realistic expectations...but only if I am willing to commit to the task at hand). I understand that the more success and career-oriented I am, the better my future will be. The fact that its authentic, shows me that if I want this, then its here for the taking. For the ones in life who do not want to fail and excel when it comes to a challenging career that is pregnant with opportunity...well, this is it.
