Pros
-The company has a rich history from its heyday that fills parents with nostalgia and children with excitement. -Depending on your level, you'll work from 830AM-530PM and go on with your life. -I got paid to do the bare minimum, not because I aspired to be a slacker, but because the minimum was a way of life there.
Cons
-The environment is toxic. Part of this stems from the fact that the company is desperately trying to emerge from bankruptcy proceedings, but this issue existed well before the company filed. If you are considering building a career here, make sure that you are comfortable with constant negativity, naysayers, and a lack of structure that makes the company function like a overly siloed mom-and-pop shop. -Don't expect professional growth. It's hard to grow when others around you aren't growing. To say that none of the employees grow professionally here would be a blatant lie, but the systems the company has in place to encourage development are facades. Employees who have been around for decades as well as months see the issue here, so nobody takes it seriously. On another point, you can have someone who is 22 with no experience in the same position as someone who is 45 with decades of experience! You could argue that it's because the 45 year-old is just so passionate about the organization that they decided to accept an entry-level position but that's not typically the case. There's no structure in hiring here (probably because there's no development plan for employees). It's a free-for-all at the moment. While the company touts getting top talent from the industry, I believe the jury is still out. -Be prepared to manage your managers. This company is old school. Mid-level managers have an outdated thought process and leadership style that will leave any young person scratching their head. You'll find that people hold-on tightly to their responsibilities as to be able to justify their worth during the next round of layoffs and also because they are used to micromanaging (resulting from no professional development). If you are a young person looking to join the organization, you will learn, but be prepared to perform grunt work from open to close as there is a strong "do your time" mentality within the organization. On the other hand, if you are a more established professional looking for a bit of a vacation from the hustle and bustle of a more efficient organization, then this might be your escape. -If you're a rock star, no need apply. In all honesty, I have been underwhelmed by the talent here at the company. When you combine the lack of development opportunities, the toxic culture, the lackadaisical mentality of employees, and the fear of looming layoffs, you end up with an environment where those who are truly the cream of the crop will find themselves with a nice check with nothing but frustration and grief to show in the end. With that said, if you need a job that will pay you decently until you find something better, then consider the organization, but heed my warning. Disclaimer: Obviously my time with the organization has not been the greatest. However, there are some really talented, nice, caring individuals at the company. If you're interested, give it a go and it might be the best organization you've ever worked for. It just happened the be the worst for me.
