10 months in still loving it - Technical Architect AHEAD Employee Review

5.0
Jan 19, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Wonderful corporate culture (no really, I'm not kidding), top tier talent in the industry, great support from the executive leadership team. Great team building events, employees are treated very well. You have to be willing to produce and continue to better yourself. If you want to sit back and coast by this isn't the company for you. There's a very healthy sense of competition, and you constantly hear of people getting new certifications, running marathons, etc. This isn't a place for those who just want to keep their head down and draw a pay check. If you're not highly motivated you likely wont do well, for some people this is a deal breaker. Working with the company has allowed me to grow my business network which I'm very thankful for. They just added 401k matching which used to be my only complaint about the benefits, so good job there!

Cons

No major cons in my opinion, but I'll give a couple call outs for what people could potentially struggle with In some rolls there is a good bit of travel, especially if you're outside the Chicago office. I like traveling, and Chicago is a great city to visit, but if you're a home body it could be an issue. I only gave 4 stars on career opportunities due to the company size. With a company of roughly 150 people there's only so many places you can go. The leadership has focused on trying to develop people and their passions this year, but it is a smaller company. If you like to "climb the corporate latter" this maybe difficult, but personally I don't find this a problem. It's just a reality of working for a smaller company, and in my opinion defiantly worth the trade off.

Explore other reviews about AHEAD

5.0
Jul 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work life balance, people, culture

Cons

More implementation consulting than strategy. Pay could be better.

5.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Going from a toxic employer to AHEAD has been the best change for my happiness. Everyone at AHEAD is motivated, positive, and willing to help each other. I no longer dread logging into work, and even enjoy the days where I have to work a bit longer or go the extra mile, because I know it will be appreciated and I can take the time I need in return. Having unlimited PTO you don't get shamed for using is amazing. I've been supported in my efforts and have a lot of autonomy without micromanagement, which is a great feeling. Upper management really trusts you and trusts in the hire.

Cons

While being in a high-growth company is exciting, it can also be exhausting. Sometimes you need the "rocket ship" to take a beat, but there is no real lull. More company-wide time off would be helpful so that you can get a break where you don't come back to 50+ emails per day. The only other downside is that due to the fabulous employee retention, people stay in their roles for a looong long time. There are not a lot of opportunities for upward mobility as a result, from what I have seen thus far.

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