Pros
Blackbaud promotes a laid back environment. The location is on Daniel Island which is a very nice place and the views are fantastic - much better than the one at my house. Most of the people working at Blackbaud will go out of their way to help you and are very approchable individuals. There are also a good number of company sponsored events such as soccer games, BBQs, happy hours, company pic nic, and tickets to hockey and minor league baseball games. Another reason to work at Blackbaud is there are very few technology (read: no competition) companies in Charleston. In a small pond, Blackbaud is the best fish.
Cons
While there are several upsides, unfortunately, the down sides negate the positives making this a decent, but not great company. Senior management appears to be stale in their thinking. To propose new ideas, many people in the trenches make suggestions that fall on deaf ears only to find out that a year, year and a half, or two years later, the idea has been implemented. In IT, as in other organizations, there is very little recognition. Some bosses will make light of raises and promotions and in several parts of Blackbaud there is no clear path to advancement. I’ve personally been told that it’s a subjective decision on behalf of the management team and when they feel someone is ready, they will promote. Meetings regarding performance throughout the year are almost non-existent. If they are set up, meetings about goals, feedback, and concern usually take a back seat to anything else. Case in point – Feb is almost done and annual reviews have still not been completed. So down sides: Employees in the trenches don’t have a loud enough voice and are often dismissed, feedback about performance is non existent, promotions are subjective, and the salary is below average.
