A decent entry-level experience with flawed potential
Pros
- Opportunity: You have a lot of control of your own destiny at ProSource if you're willing to work your butt off to make it. Now, I'd argue that sometimes that depending on your team (*cough* Sales), you're facing an uphill battle to outshine veterans, but there is definitely a direct correlation between effort and success. - Social Events: ProSource did a great job of doing a lot of company-wide events that weren't specifically work related. Think potlucks, holiday parties, random beer and pizza afternoons, etc. - 401(k) Match: They have it. And, they offer fairly decent caps for the match. Now, at least at the time, the vesting schedule was a bit long for my taste, but not too bad for the Cincinnati market. - Leadership: I should note that this would not have been a "Pro" when I left the company. But, seeing as some of the more problematic leadership has since left—and I'm familiar with the newer leadership team—I feel that ProSource is likely on a better path now than it was before.
Cons
Disclaimer: I've been away from ProSource for a couple years (2+) so my insights are a little old. I can only speak to my experience so take with a grain of salt. - Professional Development: During most of my time at ProSource I was working with one manager but had a bit of a messy switch for my final 5 months there. During those 5 months, my manager didn't have a single one-on-one meeting with me to discuss my workload, objectives, responsibilities, or trajectory. Despite ProSource being a company with a ton of potential, I felt like I was stranded in a boat without a paddle during that period, which frustrated me both professionally and personally. I was a year out of school with the desire to do anything for the company / role, but given almost no guidance on what the role would evolve to be. - PTO: For my first year of employment I had a grand total of 5 days of PTO, which were exclusively reserved for sick days, at least according to the employee handbook. That's pretty low, competitively speaking (my immediate role following had 22 days PTO for entry-level roles). It's a bit of an old-school environment at ProSource where you really are encouraged to earn your place, but I always felt that this portion of benefits was a major step behind other employment options. - Cliqueness: Look, cliques and groups are a reality of any workplace—it's human nature. But it's when those cliques start to openly make fun of each other and talk smack that social support environments become hostile. And since it's a very sales-driven culture, you better ally yourself with a good portion of the sales team if you have any hope of survival. - Lip Service: I believed that despite some of the turmoil in my department while I was there, I had developed pretty good relationships with the leadership team / owners and had candid conversations about the future of my role and the company. And yet, when push came to shove, I didn't receive the support or feedback I was promised.