Pros
Government IT and advisory services contracting can be cutthroat and soulless. TCG is the polar opposite. Above all, I'd say TCG has an altruistic streak that shows through in how employees and clients feel about the company. It's not that TCG always makes everyone happy (because that's not realistic) but it always tries to balance the needs of many with the few, to maximize everyone's satisfaction in aggregate. For example, the company expects everyone to work hard and do whatever needs to be done to meet project goals -- which sometimes means after-hours work or streaks of longer hours -- but it prepares the client to expect staff to take time off later as a result. Then it tracks whether staff actually do take that time, and sends emails to staff imploring them to do so if they don't take it! This doesn't make any single party delighted but balances everyone's needs to reach positive outcomes for all. And it does this for some really cool government clients, with a strong focus on the real-world impact of their missions.
The Core Values are real, like a lot of other reviewers of TCG have said. They're not just painted on a wall. They are lived daily, and they're taken very seriously, up and down the company. Does the company always reach the goals it sets? No. But it's honest about when it falls short, and expects the same from every member of staff. Things aren't always perfect -- that's readily acknowledged -- and the goal is to always strive for improvement. This makes for energized and engaged peers, who are smart, diverse, and driven. And humor is encouraged throughout the company, especially at stressful times, which makes every day that bit better, too.
The company is getting bigger and that presents tough challenges for everyone. TCG's secret sauce is its culture, and I hope it will retain what makes it special while doing ever more volumes of work for more clients around the country. So far, based on what I see in the foundations of the company, I think it will succeed handily.
Though it may resemble one on the surface, TCG is not a Beltway Bandit. Look at the Great Places to Work, Top Workplaces, and other awards it's received! This is a special company and I've no plans to leave any time soon.
Cons
Ultimately TCG is a smaller company. You won't find fancy offices or shiny giveaways too often. So if you're drawn to superficial displays of professionalism or "success", you may be disappointed in TCG. The company invests in benefits and employee happiness, as well as client satisfaction, which are more important anyway. So if you want a commitment to the fundamentals that really matter, you'll fit right in regardless of the lack of fancy offices or other passing fancies.
