What Sweetwater does is corporate lovebombing. They throw all these incredible amenities at you at the time of your interview -- medical care, food, store discount -- to offer a facade of modern appeal, when really the goal is to distract from the rotting corporate structure falling apart around you.
I was only ever a part of the Sales department, but in the years I was there the amount of changes were staggering.
Constant procedure changes --including the fundamental way that 80% of the sales department made money-- created an environment that seriously damaged the mental health and self-confidence of myself and those around me. While l can certainly understand that businesses have to grow and adapt, the leaps and bounds that were made to increase profits directly decreased the quality of life of hundreds of people.
I worked with many new Sales Engineers that picked up their entire life and moved across the country to work for Sweetwater, only to struggle putting food on the table and receiving little support or useful guidance. At least half of Sales leadership were advising people on the logistical nitty-gritty for jobs they themselves had never done, and terminating employees for failing to keep up with an impossible, ever-changing game. I saw it happen to at least a dozen Sales Engineers in my last year at Sweetwater.
All the while, Sales department employees doing actually illegal things on the clock --whether it be discrimination, sexual harrasment/offenses, publicly viewing pornography, the list goes on-- are reported to management and get suspended with pay because they are too valuable to the company to dismiss.The lack of integrity behind the choices to keep and dismiss employees in situations such as these is shocking.
While I learned so, so much working in the Sales department, my relationship with the concept of employment has been irreparably damaged. I had the privilege of leaving on my own terms. In my new position at a completely different company, I am constantly paranoid that I am not good enough, that my performance will be unfairly criticized, and that I will be fired with no chance to defend myself.
Never at any job have I given so much of myself while constantly terrified of being considered inadequate. I can understand requiring high performance, but in the Sales department your absolute best is not good enough.
