Pros
My perspective is from a part-time point of view. From my observations, full time faculty have more complaints, but they are few in number. I work full time and do this to supplement my income, and this is one of the best part time jobs out there that I've seen (in terms of time needed to make money versus money actually made). For that reason, I give this company a five, even with the cons out there. Pros: Flexibility: The work environment is very flexible. Once you excel as a teacher on site, there are opportunities to work online, and that gives you even more options and flexibility in your schedule. Meritocracy: It's true, you could make more money per hour tutoring on your own, but then you have to do your own business development and content development, which is a time suck. The starting pay is modest, but there's ample room for an increase in your hourly pay. Managers perform reviews twice a year, during which time you are eligible for a pay raise. There are bonuses for student and faculty referrals and marketing initiatives, as well as awards (with bonuses) for the top teachers each year. Colleagues: The other faculty members are driven to perform well and are intelligent. It makes for a fun work environment for someone who enjoys intellectual conversation. Benefits: As a part time worker, you actually have decent benefits, like a 401k with a 1% match. That doesn't hold a candle to my full time job, but this is great for a part time job. You have access to gift of knowledge benefits (like free classes) and some other things I've never really used. Training: There are good opportunities for cross training and videos and trainings to help improve as a teacher. Open to feedback: If you have suggestions, management will typically listen and consider changes. I've seen improvements made over the years as a result. There used to be hourly wage caps, difficult raise criteria (for good teachers in small markets), and fewer benefits. Due to employee feedback, some of this has improved. Management is pretty transparent relative to the norm about the direction the company is headed as well.
Cons
Disconnect: You can feel very disconnected as an on-site only teacher, because this is a virtual work environment. My regional manger lives three time zones away and I've only met one of my local co-workers. There are programs to ease the transition into this type of work environment (online get together, mentorship programs, etc), but this is definitely not a job for someone who is not independent and self driven. Management: The turnover in management is pretty constant. The managers aren't leaving or being fired, they are being promoted or moved as part of a management restructuring, but you have to be flexible in getting to know a new manager about once a year on average as a result. Corporate: If you like doing your own thing as a teacher, this is not your place. You need to follow the teaching notes and deliver a consistent experience. (Tutoring allows for more creativity though.) That is not a problem for me. I understand that this is a corporation and we need to have continuity. I have also been the victim of other teachers not following the guidelines and having to catch students up to speed later. But if you're a lone wolf in your teaching style, this place is not for you.
