A Greek Tragedy in Bird Land. Why you must pass on the sirens song from this churn-and-burn employee eater.
Pros
Your co-workers will be from a very diverse mix of companies and industries: usually very well educated and with great histories. Tucson, San Diego, and Azusa are all excellent places to live, although very expensive ( if you are coming from a low cost area like Texas, the prices here will make your nose bleed - two to three times the cost of other areas). The industry has very little real competition, so margins are really quite unbelievable for low tech plastic parts. Field trips can be very informative, and the sales team is excellent. All the type "A" personalities makes for some competitive jousting for resources both financial and human.
Cons
The work environment has to be experienced to be believed. All the makings of a Greek tragedy: the managers kill off all of the workers in a vain effort to appease the god LaFetra, only to find that no one is left to do the work, and they eventually starve to death themselves as the organizational output drops to zero. All of the manufacturing has moved to Mexico: marketing or engineering employees have to travel to Nogales or Tijuana at least once a month. Major drug wars are occurring in both cities: the Nogales police chief was just murdered this week, following a gun battle in downtown last week that left many dead and injured; Tijuana had over 100 people murdered in just the last few months, with many bodies showing up chopped into pieces and parts, beheaded, cut fingers stuffed into their mouths. And you will have to travel into this paradise south of the border on a regular basis! The turnover in all of the SBU's is ferocious, and comes in bursts two to three times a year. The change in staffing of the Commercial and Contractor SBU's from 2006 to today is very telling. Of 11 in that department at the time, 3 are still there, one has transferred to better pastures in the company. The department turnover is 72.7% in two years. Three have been hired and left in that period, which would make theses numbers even worse. since 2006 in the Contractor SBU ( only two years ago):Of 16 there at that date, 12 are gone for a 75% turnover in two years. There has been two additional Product Managers who were hired and left already between that date and today ( one lasted just over a year and one lasted 9 months). These are people who left friends and family behind, moved to the desert with significant oothers or children, bought homes, and are now stuck. Manufacturing Engineering - 100% turnover? Sustaining/product Engineering - 95% turnover? Salesforce - 50-60% turnover in any territory? Project Engineering - of 15 in 2005, only two are left from the group. 12/2004, the COM SBU had 15 people - of that group, two are left, and one moved to International. 86.7% turnover. Most come to Rain Bird thinking: they can survive; they can beat the two year curve; that their experience, market savvy, and education can allow them to become one of the few who make it to three+ years. History will, unfortunately, prove them wrong. Whatever you do, never, ever buy a house when you work for Rain Bird: there is a 75% chance you will not be employed there by your second anniversary. If you do answer the sirens song, for whatever reason, do not put your family and financial security on the line for this churn-and-burn machine - there are employees who purchased homes in California and Arizona over the past three years who are seriously upside down on their mortgages - get the ax and you will have lost everything, IF you can even sell. And there is NO SEVERANCE PACKAGE with Rain Bird. Them is the facts, Jack!
