Pros
It was fun to learn about the projects the company had while I was there, especislly how closely the firm works with the city of Rockford on potable water and water treatment projects. Another cool project was the new library on the west side. Most of the people I worked with were great. Kept to themselves but were quick to help if I had a question, or were happy to explain their processes and specialties. There were a number of people who had plants which livened up the space, and sometimes brought their dogs in. Frequent parties and a well stocked snack + drink lunch area was good. The marketing and office management/secretarial teams were good, nice folks too. The building was also pretty cool. Some kind of 1800s industrial building revived as a brewery, restaurant, and event venue on the 1st floor, offices on 2nd, and apartments on 3rd, all on the Rock River.
Cons
Nepotism runs rampant. Owners - sort that out. It's not a generational family business and it looks bad especially when family works in the same office. Micromanaging middle management was also a huge annoyance, especially with their arrogant attitudes. Not everyone was born with silver spoons in their mouth and raised in their parent's professional networks - it would do you good to humble yourselves. I was treated like a summer intern despite my degrees and previous experience in the engineering and utility management fields. My duties subsequently mostly consisted of folding paperwork and going door to door to get signatures. I was told my disability would be taken into account and accomodated for. Instead I was told I was to do XYZ or be fired. My disability made XYZ very difficult if not impossible especially during the early COVID days. I was still eventually let go. (It worked out for the better though as I'm out of a highly toxic work environment and I'm finishing up my masters, had I not been let go I wouldn't have even thought about it!) Speaking of disabilities, the office isn't very accessibility friendly. In a wheelchair, to get to the kitchen area on the building's 3rd floor, you'd have to go outside the office's 2nd floor entrance, take the elevator down to the 1st floor, then take another elevator across the building to the 3rd floor. There would still be a portion of the office completely inaccessible as it isn't serviced by any elevator, and only accessible via like 5 steps.. Diversity was also lacking - during my time there, there were only 3 or so BIPOC. No recognition of LGBTQ+ either. High turnover rates and inadequate wages for the work put in and experience/degrees brought to the team.
