Pros
entry-level, relaxed environment, job security
Kontras
old school mindset management, no technology, micromanagement, no recruitment
Pros
Decent office space. Quiet, usually only 1 or 2 other people
Kontras
When I arrived, I was the only developer left, it was just me and him and his CPA. He said I had 6 months of back log bugs and change request work he needed done. I finished in about 3 weeks and started taking on his new client work. He praised me and said I was saving his business. Asked me to consider working for him directly rather than being a contractor. He hired 2 more people, developer and project manager. He started playing us all against each other. Then things got weird. After 1 month, the owner’s real personality started showing. He told me because I had been doing a great job, saved his business, etc., he would give me an assigned parking spot next to his SUV. I came in the next day and he double parked into both spots - diagonal. - Workplace is very hostile and contentious due to owner’s frequent need to stir the drama pot - Owner heaps praise on your work, thanking you for saving his business, then tells everyone else you are a slacker who he can’t wait to fire. - owner tells you that he’s going to fire everyone but you — tells all the other employees the same thing - owner screams at clients over speaker phone - owner tells clients things about the company that are not true, expects you to lie to clients and back up his story - Company culture has no interest in server, database or website security. Passwords were often the name of the client - Keeps an office full of old computers and monitors set up to look like there are 25+ developers. When prospective clients come visit, he says everyone is out for the day except the one person who actually works there. Expects the one real employee to play along - no coffee
Pros
Comfortable office setting. Office flow is planned well for function of business.
Kontras
CEO is too busy with his other endeavors to be concerned with the business of 4Guys. He expects you to run the castle without giving you the keys to do so. He constantly talks about employees behind their backs to other employees, which is HIGHLY unprofessional. He violates several ethics codes. Uses foul language to get his point across. He's also more of a marketing person, and not a techie. He's rather bring in tons of business, but is NOT capable of completing projects anywhere near the set time frame. He'll make excuses to the customer. He projects his business as a team of 100 top-notch techies working around the clock, but in reality--there are only about 3-4 people doing all of the work on several projects at a time.