Pros
The leadership at SI must be given major credit for helping to define a company with a clear vision and mission that revolves around making things that matter, but it’s the company of people as a whole who shape SI’s culture and make it a very special place to work. I value the opportunity to work on a diverse range of products, but what I love most about working at SI are the people. 1) SI folks get things done. People here are smart & creative, AND they like to make things happen. They’re not just satisfied with dishing out good ideas. People here turn creative solutions into plans of actions. Dreamer/doers - I finally found my people. I love it! 2) SI folks are talented, yet humble I have a very low tolerance for BS when it comes to the people I work with. In my experience, smart people don’t have to routinely remind people how smart they are. Their intelligence is evident in what they say, the way they approach questions and problems, and the work they produce. Thankfully, I don’t have to deal with that here at SI. The people I work with SI are incredibly intelligent and talented, but I rarely encounter big egos here. It is an organization of humans, so of course egos and politics exist, however, I personally, have not dealt with much of that, and I regularly work with people from all disciplines and at all levels within the company. Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that SI is a subsidiary of Penguin Random House and as such, full-time employees receive a generous selection of free books throughout the year, plus a really nice discount on all PRH books!
Cons
1) Because the company continually evolves, ambiguity abounds. If you are not okay with change and require a job with a fixed job description and a company whose vision never shifts, this is probably not the company for you. 2) Pay and benefits are good, but unlikely to compete with what the big tech companies offer. On the plus side, this is perhaps why the people I work with are the type of people who value a company’s culture and mission just as much more tangible benefits like salary and PTO. 3) As an agency, you never stop hustling. Like most service based industries, the rate of business can ebb and flow. As a result the company is conservative about full time hires. A contractor looking for job security may find this aspect of the company nerve wracking. I started as a contractor, but was offered a full time position. The same cannot be said for all contractors.
