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Tom Sawyer Software

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Toxic work environment and low pay - Marketing Specialist Tom Sawyer Software Employee Review

1.0
Jan 7, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible hours and opportunities to wear multiple hats (due to the small company size and flat revenue).

Cons

The pay is very low and not competitive at all, explaining why they have been creating offices overseas to cut cost. The marketing team was very small and was treated in condescendingly by the other departments. The CEO is short-tempered and does not care about others' feelings. Often one can hear him screaming the "f" word from his office and the HR would rush in to mitigate the situation. After my departure, it was found out that the CEO had a mental breakdown and fired 20% of the staff.

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Tom Sawyer Software Response
5y
We’re lucky to have a dedicated team with many employees working for the company for longer than just a year or two, and in some cases a decade or more! As you pointed out, we believe this is in part to accommodating flexible schedules and encouraging work-life balance. Also, our size offers employees a chance to broaden their experience, try out different roles, and advance quickly, which is especially valuable for someone newer to the workforce. In terms of your salary comment, we perform detailed salary research for all roles on an annual basis and use this information when hiring and to guide adjustments for current staff. Salaries are commensurate with the responsibilities and location of the position and the experience of the individual. We have an open-door policy and staff are welcome to communicate concerns to their manager. Salaries and benefits are the biggest costs a company bears, and most companies use a combination of US- and international staff to keep costs down. This is not unique to Tom Sawyer Software, and we pride ourselves in having successfully run a small business for the past 30+ years, attracting global talent. We are not aware that marketing was treated condescendingly by other departments, but there is some natural tension between departments as they balance competing priorities, which is true at all companies. As a responsible small business we closely watch our finances, and an unfortunate reality is that sometimes a reduction in workforce is the only option to reduce costs. Unlike many companies during this time of COVID-19, we have maintained operations and all staff have kept their jobs. As for your comment about the CEO’s mental health, second or third-hand information should not be considered fact and could be considered defamation.

Explore other reviews about Tom Sawyer Software

5.0
Nov 19, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great people and the best atmosphere

Cons

Long work hours most days

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Tom Sawyer Software Response
4y
Hi. While we love to get feedback, I believe you have reviewed the wrong company. We do not employ any junior network administrators or have any employees in New Jersey.
4.0
Sep 13, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Clearly the company is focused on being the best in class. This entails working with extremely talented people on extremely interesting projects. The priority is taking the time now to do the job right vs. taking short-cuts to meet a product release date. If you are good, the exposure and opportunity exists - you will learn a lot. The work environment can be intense but, if you are up for it that can be a good thing. The customer list is first tier which is a testament to the product quality. From the perspective of a sales person, being able to reference this customer list is a significant positive.

Cons

The CEO, who is by the way the company founder, is hyper-focused, driven and knows exactly what he wants/expects. He is extremely knowledgeable about finance, legal, sales, marketing and, of course, software. His experience is invaluable at times but, can also present a challenge for senior managers to do what they were hired to do. For a small company, you would sometimes expect it to be more nimble but, the heavy focus on quality and precision introduces a lot of structure and process. In the end, the structure and process is probably a good thing but, in the moment can appear unnecessary.

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