Guidehouse reviews

Not enough pay look elsewhere

The job isn't hard. It should be much more enjoyable than it is. Management is definitely the weakest link. I don't think my experience is common or customary, but it shows what they're capable of. I'm a year out of the job and make more than twice the money and still think about my time at this job more often than I'd like to admit. I may send them an invoice for some therapy sessions. I think I would have been better able to deal with the events if there were a few microaggressions thrown in but this went from zero to 1500. We'll call them managers One through Four. Essentially a hierarchy. For a time, Manager Two was my direct manager. In a review meeting, Manager Two told me they had no issues with my performance but Manager One had "concerns." I asked what the concerns were so I could fix them. They didn't know. Said they'd get back to me but to "communicate more" in the meantime. A second person told me Manager One held issue. Again, nothing actionable. My "shortcomings" were being discussed but not with me and not in detail. I didn't go to Manager One because, although they never said it expressly, the information was presented like it was in confidence. Going to her and saying "I heard you got a problem..." seemed like a betrayal of trust. Time went on [like a year] nothing else. I have another meeting with Manager Two (no longer my direct manager). When I get to the meeting HR is there. They put me on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). This meeting was so matter-of-fact with no facts. Not gonna go into detail but there were like 6 numbered items on the PIP. Four were factually incorrect or flat out lies. The other two items? I guess... They weren't PIP worthy, though. They were "catch you at the watercooler and ask " type things and I had really strong justifications. The hardest part for me to grasp was every item on the PIP could have been verified [disproven] in less than five minutes. My future wasn't worth an additional 20-25 minutes. This had to be the worst constructed PIP ever. Generally PIPs say "We've been working on these issues. We're not seeing progress." This PIP said "Here's a covert dossier of inaccuracies." The biggest thing is they were ALL new to me. No verbal warnings, formal write ups, or stops at the water cooler. Three of the four managers played a part in the PIP {Surprise, surprise, everyone except Manager One. The ONLY one to voice a concern. Not to me. Behind my back. And without possible steps to resolution.} They knew it was a crap PIP. I only followed it briefly then said "If they fire me, they fire me." They never fired me. The PIP just evaporated. I started getting top increases, percentage wise, for my position. Time went on [again, like a year], nothing else. Never said 'this is closed', 'this is thrown out', 'maybe we were a bit hasty', 'you've been successful...', nothing. Worst case, I really was a terrible employee and four managers were ready to [haphazardly] get rid of me. Best case [there is no best case], I was collateral damage to Managers Two through Four in order to give Manager One what she wanted. Besides good managers (strongly leaning towards no), I was wondering if these were good people. Another meeting with Manager Two, this time also with Manager Three. (Meeting with Manager Two is now a trigger) The meeting was going well. Manager Two continues about how there's a partner [client] who needs someone with my skill set and system knowledge. Manager Three says they'll assist me in any way. I remember staring at the screen (we were in Covid by then) and thinking "Ewww..." Just ewww, that's all I could muster. Right then it became obvious that this place could teach me nothing other than what not to do. I had already been interviewing and was holding out for something that felt perfect. I took the very next job I was offered. I quit with only a conditional offer. Partner Services is not a career, it's not even a long-term job (I realized this soon after I started but there were other things fighting for my attention and I lost sight). It's means to an end. Means for money to eat. Means to get into Guidehouse. Means to learn the grant process. If you don't NEED one of those things. Look elsewhere. Management's Interpersonal skills? Lacking. Employee Retention skills? Lacking. Resource Management skills? Lacking. Empathy? Lacking. Emotional Intelligence? Lacking. Decision Making? Lacking. Leadership? Lacking. This isn't me just spewing management concepts. I'm thinking of specific instances for each. To review: Reasons to accept a Partner Services offer: -You're destitute -You want to get into Guidehouse (I left shortly after the acquisition, this may not be the best method to get in) -You want to learn the grants process Reasons to reject a Partner Services offer: -Literally everything else My heart and mind were 15 different places for most of my tenure there. If they weren't, I would have been gone in a year max. At four years when I left, I was in the oldest ten percent of PS employees. There were about 50 people at the time. Turnover don't lie. (This is only for Partner Services, not even other GS teams. That's why it's all 3s and Neutrals. Would have been "Zero stars, do not recommend" across the board otherwise)