Incredible learning experience, fantastic co-workers
Pros
- Like any other start up, you have to be very self sufficient. Those that can start and finish a project on their own initiative with little guidance will truly thrive here. If you want someone to hold your hand, this is not the company for you. - Offices in SF and PA which is nice because you can work out of whichever office you'd like. Sometimes I feel like working out of SF and going out afterwards with coworkers, which is nice - Guidebook is a quickly growing startup. Personally I think this is great because to be a part of that is an incredibly educational experience. Working at a startup often means that you need to do things outside of your job description and in my case it has given me tons of valuable skills which I know will serve me well in the future - Guidebook has hosted some weekend company trips, which take place about every 4 months. This helps a lot in team bonding which is important especially when we are adding new people at such a fast rate. They are always fun, and they allow you to get to know your coworkers much better :) -Coworkers are truly phenomenal people. Everyone is smart, hardworking, and just good people. They are people that I will continue to keep in touch with if I leave Guidebook - Benefits : Full health benefits package, catered lunches 2x a week, stocked snack/drink area, yoga classes, 401k (but no matching yet), Caltrain GoPass, and tax benefits for Clipper card - Hard work is recognized and I feel appreciated by my manager. - Management definitely emphasizes quality work. They encourage everyone to do their best and because of it, our product and customer service is high quality. - Very flexible work hours - ability to work on projects that interest you. Guidebook is very supportive of that, you just need to have the initiative to start and finish those projects Guidebook by no means is a perfect company, but I'm a better person after working here. I appreciate the opportunities that were presented to me and I love coming to work to spend the day with a group of silly, intelligent, awesome people. Guidebook is a workplace that definitely emphasizes a great work environment and so when we hire new people, the hiring team makes an effort to hire people that are not only competent and smart, but also people who will add to the company culture.
Cons
- We are growing quickly so we're experiencing some growing pains. SF office is getting a little crowded but we're looking for new spaces - No formal performance reviews have been established yet, which means that getting valuable feedback from your superior might be rare. From what I understand, a formal review process is being established currently so I expect that it will be remedied soon enough. In general, communication between managers and employees could be improved - Compensation is just okay - Open office layout which is a pro and a con. Pro because it does encourage interaction between employees across all the teams, but once in a while the offices can get a little loud. - in some positions there is no clear path for advancement
