Vantaggi
There are some nice office perks and the salary is adequate. If you're looking for an internship or just starting out in your career, this is a decent company to get your foot in the door. Just understand that it's a stepping-off point. Learn from what you see here. Recognize the flaws. And grow. Generally speaking, you can expect to enjoy: - A nice location near a major transportation hub - Plenty of lunch options nearby - A knowledgeable team of tech savvy professionals who can give you a crash course in digital production, viral news management and information analysis - Free snacks in the office - The excitement of a lot of projects kicking off on a regular basis - A casual dress code - Catered lunch on Fridays
Svantaggi
I fear I'm merely repeating what so many have already said, but I suppose this will still help a prospective candidate in evaluating an offer from the company. Regardless, let's be clear: This is not a fake review. Generally speaking, you can expect to observe: - Lack of direction/conflicting messages: Most of the writers barely get a chance to apply new directions and changes in focus to their writing before being derided and criticized at the next team meeting about what they're doing wrong now. It's not uncommon for one direction to be given on Monday, but another contradicting it will be given the next. - Immaturity: The editorial management team does not instill a sense of confidence in their decisions and often react with the behavior I would expect to see on a high school yearbook committee than a professional digital newsroom working in corporate America. Pettiness, favoritism and gossip reveal a clear lack of emotional maturity on the editorial management team and send the message that they are unsure of themselves and of what they're doing. - Low morale: Employees participate in field trips, game nights, spirit weeks, etc. simply because it's free and they fear retaliation. No amount of field trips or free alcohol in the office will raise team morale if the employees feel as if their complaints about serious issues regarding management, salaries, nepotism, etc. aren't addressed. Companies who try to manufacture as sense of camaraderie while ignoring serious flaws within just make the employees feel even more dejected and unheard. - Insincerity: Although a common problem in corporate environments, don't be misled in thinking an innovative start-up will be devoid of this trait. At least not at LittleThings. Employees do not feel safe to share genuine feedback out of fear of retaliation or dismissal. There are team members who have some really great ideas on how to improve a lot of the processes throughout the company, but are afraid to mention them to their supervisors because they know anything they say could be used against them at a future date. - Inexperience: I agree with another reviewer. The creative team, in general, and the editorial team, specifically, are lacking in professional experience in the environment the company requires. If you have experience in a digital or print newsroom or you're a journalist/illustrator/videographer with more than 4-5 years of experience, you will be seen as threat and told that you behave as if you're superior to everyone else. Don't worry. You're not. You just know how to be effective and talented at a job you've chosen as a career. - Racism: Yes, that dirty word is no stranger to this company. You may not see it in the other reviews, but it is discussed in private and off-hours. I was on the receiving end of it when the management team used racially charged language during a meeting. I also observed first-hand racial bias among the editorial management team toward others who weren't present. You expect more from a company that's led by a younger generation, but on multiple occasions, they show themselves to be just as prejudiced as their older counterparts.