Vantaggi
Let me just say, I wish I'd checked out the reviews here before signing my contract. To begin with, the lack of an HR department should have been my first warning sign. That's a major red flag right there. During the interviews, we discussed my job description, but it turned out to be a whole different story once I started. Even my job title seemed like it was pulled out of a hat. Senior-level expectations were set, yet salary did not align with these expectations, resulting in frustration among staff. Lack of women in leadership roles, which doesn't quite match up with the company's talk about diversity. Feels like a bit of a boys club sometimes! I've noticed plenty of inappropriate jokes and sarcasm floating around, which doesn't exactly match up with the inclusive vibe a diverse workplace should have. And when feedback does come around, it often feels like it's lacking depth and constructive guidance. Bloody micromanagement at its peak. I was asked to work my timesheets through an Excel spreadsheet, aligning it twice a week with the team. And even on weekends, I was hounded about this damn spreadsheet. A tech company relying on Excel spreadsheets is a joke! Additionally, the unspoken culture of unpaid OT! Don't even think about getting compensated for those constant unpaid and unbalanced overtime hours. An extra hour every day was the norm in my team. It's not occasional...it's ingrained in the culture, and they make you feel guilty for sticking to your designated hours.
Svantaggi
Explaining my short time at VALD to potential employers and recruiters was surprisingly effortless. The bad reputation of this company is already well-known in Brisbane.