God, so many. When I started there, this job was fantastic. However, this was also the golden era where the CEO wasn't interacting with the company all that much - letting those who were experts in their area take charge in their various departments. About 6 months before I was let go, it started to go south. Here are the highlights:
- Projecst that had been approved, worked on, and discussed at great lengths with all parties were redirected countless times and often suddenly canceled, without much explanation. Even if the company had already sank several thousands of dollars into their development. You will waste so much time working on things for the CEO that are either one of his whims or a long-term project that he'll later up and cancel, because he slept badly and just doesn't feel like it anymore. Maybe his Evian wasn't cold enough that day. Or he read something somewhere, "Beta-Blocks-says-this-speech here" rant. Who knows.
- Even if you prove that you do know what you're doing, and have the projects and data to back it up, it won't matter. One opinion alone matters: the CEO.
- The 9am meeting. Another one of the CEO's "read-it-somewhere" ideas. Everyone gathers at 9am to say what they did yesterday and had to do that day. And it matters SO MUCH. People literally write down and plan out what they say. What you say in these meetings literally come up in meetings with your superior. Also important - no one listens, no one really cares.
- In several departments, you don't have reviews. No sort of process or grading scale or goal setting or anything. Which I guess could be seen as a good thing, but then again - there's no "process" for pay increase.
- No HR Department.
- Spent over $100 grand renovating A RENTAL SPACE. That barely anyone works in anymore.
- I worked over 70 hours a week. That was pretty normal for several roles.
- When I got let go, it was after a rash of events where I, in my assigned role and expert on the matter, respectfully advised the CEO that several directions being taken were counter productive, not the agreed-upon tactic, and not a good use of department time. He dropped some magazine article, made a snide remark, and left the room in the middle of a very normal, every day discussion. I was let go shortly thereafter.
- Rumors of money being ill-used and misappropriated.
- And my favorite: after a year where the company definitely did not meet their financial goals, it was decided that the whole company would be treated to a 3-day long luxury Mexican vacation, spouses included. This cost the company well over $100k. A few weeks later, they had layoffs.
If you need anything to really sum it up, just leave with this: I was once in a meeting where an employee suggested the idea for an ad with a guy who farts in a car, and when the family gets so distracted by it, they drive off a cliff. The CEO thought this was a fantastic idea.
