Pros
Working with books and (some) people who love them
Cons
Reading SB's Glassdoor reviews before working there, I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. After working there, I read these reviews again and realize they're all completely true. This is a highly toxic work environment. The CEO is a bully with a reputation for making employees cry. A few managers are kind and good at what they do, but a few mainstays are known for throwing their employees under the bus for their own errors in judgment and taking all the credit for their employees' successes. Individual contributors are called out by name and given public appreciation only if they're managers. The lowest-paid employees doing some of the most emotionally/physically demanding work (i.e. customer care, customer service) are rarely publicly acknowledged for their hard work and when they are, they are lumped together as a "team" and not treated as individual contributors. The company is a revolving door with a huge turnover rate. Many departments are understaffed and employees are expected to work harder and longer to make up for it, with the understanding that it's unlikely new people will be hired to alleviate the workload. Most new hires are fresh out of college and excited to embark on a new career in the publishing industry. SB knows this and offers them low salaries and no real appreciation. You're only valued as long as you're contributing to the company's coffers and if you're lucky, your contributions will be rewarded with a pat on the back. Don't expect a bonus or a raise or even a meaningful promotion. Every year is allegedly better and more profitable than the year before, but don't expect to see any of these profits passed on in the form of bonuses or raises for the employees who worked their butts off to get the company where it is today. If you're keen on working in the publishing industry, plan to work here for a year and then move on -- but better to avoid altogether.
