Pros
- Generous time off package for salaried employees - Flexible work hours - Telecommuting options for many employees - Fantastic people, tremendously creative environment - K12 has an excellent product that every employee should be proud of K12 was a great place to start my career. The work environment in Product Development was friendly and casual most of the time. The staff genuinely cares for the quality of the product, and it shows in the passion and commitment they pour into their work. I never had a problem requesting or taking time off, and never had an issue with my health benefits. The company is very profitable, and I never had to worry about job security or layoffs, even during the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009. I was satisfied with the salary I was offered on my hire date. I felt it was adequate compensation considering my skills, my experience, and the job market at the time.
Cons
- No career pathing or opportunity for professional development - No objective system for performance review - Very little training, and no corporate onboarding for new employees - Salaries for non-executives have moved very little in the last five years - Very rushed schedules, projects usually don't receive approval to begin until the last possible minute - Contracted and temporary employees maintain their status for years - Executive management is out of touch with the operations of the company - Penny-wise, pound foolish... very reluctant to spend a penny planning, even if it will save a dollar in implementation To sum it up, there is a gulf between executive management and the rest of the company... a gulf so wide, they can't see across it. Where most employees' salary and benefits packages have been static for the last few years, executive management have granted themselves increases and stock options year after year. There is no drive within K12 to help employees improve their skills or advance their careers. Employees are not given performance goals, and nobody has any idea what they need to do to qualify for promotion. Hires for senior positions are almost always made from outside the company. And of the few promotions I did see, most were in title and responsibility only... the employees were not given salary increases to match their new job descriptions. In addition, employees are extremely pigeonholed into their job titles. You will not be given the opportunity (or even the ability) to contribute to the company outside of your very specific job role, even if you possess a wider range of skills. You're hired for a job, and you'll do that job and nothing else until the day you leave. My college education was almost entirely wasted at K12, because I didn't have the right job title to apply it properly. This is why I believe that K12 is an excellent place to start a career, but it's not a company I would recommend long-term. The salary you're offered on your hire date is not going to change more than a couple percent during your career with the company, and there will no opportunity for advancement. Come on board, learn what you can, build your skills, and leave after three or four years when it's time for your next step.
