Do you want to work your butt off for five years without getting a raise and then get laid off for no particular reason? Get a job at the NBA. Oh wait, we had the best season ever, but apparently the company is losing money. I guess that happens when the CEO makes $15 million a year for his talents in shutting the season down with a lockout and being abusive to his subordinates.
Basically the NBA underpays people in their 20s, and by the time they wise up and realize they have no life and can barely make rent in the NYC area, they quit while another group of college grads is ready to take their place.
Promotions and raises are doled out once a year. My last "raise" was a whopping $400. They told me I was doing a great job, but empty praise does not pay my bills. Also my manager called me by the wrong name on my progress report, which is impressive since he only manages four people.
You are stuck at this level and pay for 12 months no matter what happens in terms of added responsibilities or production. You are constantly bombarded with propaganda about how great the league is doing, but then when your salary review comes the league is suddenly in bad shape. The actual financial status of the company is a closely guarded secret, so you really have no idea about how your salary is determined beyond taking your manager's word for it.
Advancement is difficult because most of senior management has been there for twenty-plus years. And when a position does open up, the company often hires from outside rather than promoting someone.
There is a lot of dead weight in the company. Getting things accomplished can be difficult as some employees are hesitant to do anything if they aren't interested in getting it accomplished. It's then considered unprofessional to call people out on this. There is also a lack of clearly defined roles within the company, and it can difficult to determine who is responsible for what. Basically anyone more senior than you can tell you what to do, even if they have no qualifications for doing so. There are also too many employees who seem to have little interest in basketball.
Work/life balance can be awful, depending on what department you work in. Basically it's unspoken, but you are on call 24/7. Do not fill out a cell number on your employment form when you start, because it goes into the company directory and people will call you at all hours about work related issues. And the NBA isn't paying your cell phone bill.
Should I go on?
