Lets start from the top!
1) No training is provided on joining the project. They expect you to start performing/ delivering from day 1.
2) Infrastructure is poor. No standing desk. Small office with lots of people crammed into it.
3) Don't expect your manager to know what they hired you for. In other words, expect work assigned to you that is not inline with that you interviewed for.
4) Don't expect them to know what they are doing. Upper management does not have their thoughts/goals organized. They might start working on a project to please a team they are on boarding or their superior and then not see that project through. They will jump on to the next thing. They are in this unreasonable frenzy without an end goal or bigger picture in mind.
5) Meetings with management is painful. You will discover new things every day which will throw a wrench in your daily tasks/ project plan. So you are constantly playing the balancing act while the management does its best to throw things out of a balance.
6) Management is highly self-unaware. So they might not even see how their attitude and behavior is pulling down the spirit of the employees.
7) Speaking of which, there is no team spirit. Everyone is for themselves. So you might not find it easy to depend on others and feel supported.
8) The psyche of the firm is dysfunctional. Cocky, over confident, arrogant people with fawning personality find it easy to survive and find themselves at an advantage to make it to the top. Qualities like kindness and empathy are seriously downplayed and looked upon as weakness.
Tips for people joining Hightower:
1) Start on a strong, confident note. Fake it till you make it!
2) Take thorough notes of every meeting and send it across to the management involved in the meeting. This way you will not end up being a scapegoat of their chaotic thought process.
3) Don't take anything personally, especially if you are coming for a supportive, collaborative workplace. Give yourself enough time to adjust to the new reality!
4) Get therapy. You will need it!
