Unorganized, Shady, Workaholic Higher-Ups - Senior Lead Editor Static Media Employee Review

2.0
Sep 19, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are some wonderful people at this company, and the pay for freelancers is competitive for the industry. You can climb the ladder quickly if you prove yourself.

Cons

Like many people in this company, I climbed the ladder relatively quickly, going from a freelance writer to an editor and then FT Senior Lead Editor. As soon as I became FT, however, I began to see the dark side of the company. The red flags began with the fact that I had to get trained for and then actually work the position without the promotion or salary for months, which is a regular practice here. (Scratch that -- the FIRST red flag was seeing that the entire C-suite was comprised of white, straight, men.) When I finally was "offered" the role, the salary for a FT senior position was around $48,750, and they did not accept any negotiations. Although there were benefits, the pay was equivalent to the freelance editors who had a wayyyy lighter workload. To stay in the good graces of a few rude, workaholic, money-hungry higher-ups who seemingly hold all the power, you have to be available at all hours and receive zero overtime pay for extensive after-hours work, frequently fire freelancers with little to no reason or explanation (even some who are extremely talented and hardworking and/or have a recorded history of mental or physical illness), and prove your monetary value. Because I was committed to training, mentoring, communicating with, and improving the work atmosphere for my team, I regularly received praise for my capabilities as a manager, but that didn't matter one bit to the C-suite. I also led the publication during its most profitable months of all time, but there were no performance reviews in which I could share my success. Ultimately, despite enjoying the role and many of the people there, I realized the company had a far more negative impact on my life than positive. Many of us believed the environment was toxic and wanted to get out. I began speaking up about my concerns (which is definitely looked down upon) and stopped putting in so much extra effort that I wasn't ever going to be rewarded for. Because of this, I was eventually fired, as was pretty much every kind-hearted and genuinely talented person I knew there. Overall, the company's practices are unethical, unorganized, and all-around shady. It's going to catch up with them soon.

Explore other reviews about Static Media

5.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The Culture is Unmatched: From day one, the environment at Static has been incredibly welcoming and collaborative. There is a genuine lack of ego here; everyone from junior devs to upper management is accessible and willing to help you succeed. Autonomy and Trust: Management actually trusts you to do your job. There is very little micromanagement and unnecessary company bureaucracy . You are given ownership of your projects, which has allowed me to grow professionally at a much faster rate than at my previous companies. Smart, Driven Team: You are surrounded by brilliant people who are passionate about what they do. It’s an inspiring place to work because everyone is constantly pushing the envelope and looking for innovative solutions. Great Perks & Flexibility: The remote-first flexibility genuinely supports a healthy work-life balance. Burnout is actively discouraged, and work life balance is respected.

Cons

Fast-Paced Environment: Because Static is growing so quickly, things change fast. If you prefer a highly predictable, rigid corporate routine, the speed of adaptation here might be a adjustment. However, the teams handle these scaling shifts with great communication.

1.0
Jul 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Well, there aren't many writing jobs out there anymore, so I guess it's at least something.

Cons

I've been working here for years, but the industry I started in collapsed, so I'e been bounced around to different sites. The one I'm currently writing for (I don't want to give more information, because it's my only income right now) is awful. The rules change every five minutes, and every story and headline is exactly the same. After 20 years as a writer, several books under my belt, and a byline that was recognizable, I get nothing but critiques. They threaten our jobs constantly. Guest editors come in from other sites with different rules, and send things back for revision. That triggers an internal review every week or so. I've won awards for writing, and this job has made me lose confidence. The amount of money they pay is ridiculous. If AI wasn't getting everyone fired everywhere else, I'd leave in a second. The editors seem to be on a power trip and treat writers like children. After all the years of work and recognition, this is the most demoralizing place I've ever been.

3
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All