Here is a full scope of what it's like to be a Field Energy Specialist on the East Coast at SolarCity:
Welcome to SolarCity, the country's top solar energy provider. They'll reel you in with great executives, a beautiful vision, a fun company culture, and a guarantee that 6-9 months from now all hard working FES will move up in an exciting company in an exciting industry. They act like it's the Google of the solar world, but Beast coast FES know that SolarCity is actually the Walmart of the solar world.
If you are male, aggressive, have no relationship or children, are fine having no personal life, and are OK giving off a rapey relentless vibe when people tell you no 10 times, then read no further. You are who SolarCity wants, and if you get lucky, you'll get a high traffic / high-closing store, make good money, and get that promotion.
If not, then seriously consider the following:
Over the course of one year, they took away all of the autonomy that FES loved-in the form of choosing your own channel store, flexible hours, and developing your own style that matches your personal strengths. You had alot of different people on your team, and all could be equally successful at making numbers. Now, you are expected to chase customers around the store, and force them to book a same day or next day appointment. You must do this using a robotic scripted pitch, unless you want to get on the director's or VP's bad side. The store you go to is not determined by where you do best or where you want, it's determined by how much the CAM and director like you. If you don't fit into that aggressive mold described earlier, they don't like you, and they'll ruin your career by putting you in a low traffic low-closing store to make it impossible for you to make your numbers, even if you once topped your team or region. You are a number quota to them. They'll replace you, not invest in you.
There is ZERO work life balance. You will go months without seeing family and friends. You will LOVE your coworkers-your greatest resource- but will not be permitted to speak with them, even if they are working off the same table in the same store. You are discouraged from using sick/vacation time, and if you do, be prepared to receive extreme pressure to make up for lost numbers when you return. Most FES get burned out by 3 months of employment. Anxiety and depression is common after 3-5 months, although the degree for each person varied.
Sexual harassment happens all the time to the FES. Customers and channel store workers touch their bodies without permissons, shout sexually suggestive comments to them, ask for favors, and expose themselves to FES. There is no protection in place for victims of sexual harassment at SolarCity. Multiple workers reported these incidents to their managers, and the managers either did nothing or told them to participate in it, to sell their bodies and soul to make numbers.
They are beginning to transition this role into part-time, much like Walmart and Home Depot did with their sales associates. Most FES predict that all FES jobs will eventually be part time, so that the company can cut costs by not providing benefits.
Lastly, FES are spied on. They track your location on your tablet, they read your chat logs and email, they send in secret shoppers to grade you, and the CAM and director and VP pop in the store to spy on you too. While this one is understandable, it stills feels pretty degrading when you are not trusted to do your job. I have never experienced that level of intrusion at any other job.
