And there I was, a freshly out of college, impressionable kid with an uncertain future thanks to the recent housing bubble burst. Then, a noble company kindly extended a hand—“come work for us!”. I was living the dream, wasn’t I? I was doing exactly what I spent 4 years of my life preparing to do and, getting paid for it.
It didn’t take long until something started to smell “fishy”. Why am I taking a pay cut when there’s $1 Billion the company is sitting on? Why do I constantly see new young faces? It costs more to acquire new talent than keeping the ones you have. “The CEO has a plan!”—was constantly said but, at this point, I was convinced he was delusional and how could he not be? After all, he’s constantly exalted as if he was ever going to become the next Steve Jobs. That’s when I first asked myself, is the way of this company the way of a cult? “The CEO’s salary (just as that of Jobs’s) is $1”, not impressive when you realize he set this salary during the time the company decided to significantly increase their dividend payout.
Of course it is constantly boasted as one of the best companies to work for; its scheme depends on it: getting impressionable young kids who don’t know better out of college and offer them a below standard salary. It is a brilliant plan, I reckon but don’t forget, this company pays for both, to be considered by Forbes and to know what’s the least monetary compensation they can offer not to get laughed at by candidates.
Diminishing acquisitive power, increasingly meager health benefits, limited grow opportunity lest you work in their most profitable products. I quit! Did I have a better opportunity at the moment? I could have but, I just couldn’t take the smell of seafood when I am not the one eating it. And alas! I was not the only one for, NI is no longer considered within the top 100 great places to work.
