Pros
Firstly, anyone reading this should be aware that all reviews on Glassdoor are skewed by personal bias, and that people providing reviews here rather than providing feedback internally are generally those that have had an extremely positive or extremely negative Cognolink experience. That being said- I think you should apply to Cognolink! I have given the company four stars because I believe (and hope the company would agree) that there is no such thing as perfect, and a constant hunger and desire to be better is partially what makes the company what it is. In my view, this job helps you understand what kind of career and what type of company you want to be a part of (even if that isn't Cogno). Here is why: - It is one of the greatest early opportunities you will get to have true autonomy (with associated responsibility) over your own research projects and impact the company with tangible revenue generation (this includes strategy, resourcing, account management, industry analysis etc.) This allows you to understand what kind of future role you might want to pursue in your career. - Working in an ever-adapting environment (technology, processes, people, and culture) means that you always have an opportunity to provide feedback that creates positive change- Cognolink is what you make it. This has led to people at the company making completely new positions to support their ambitions/ interests. It also provides an intrapreneurial dynamic that I doubt you will find in most large corporates. - The company is International, vibrant, young, and diverse- you will be working with people from different parts of the world with different view points and perspectives on life which creates on and off the job learning from day one. I think this improves general self-awareness and also might promote an understanding of what working internationally might look like.
Cons
- I have to admit that there can be some mondain and repetitive tasks associated with the job. From my point of view, the company (IT/Project management especially) are working hard to reduce this and allow people to get on with the parts of the job that they enjoy the most- learning about new industries, connecting with people across the world, and thriving in a team environment - On the job training after the first few months could be improved. Initial training is fantastic, which is backed up by 'on the job' feedback and monthly appraisals. However, there is a lull in structure meaning some people progress more quickly than others depending on team/ vertical context. Greater 'on the job' training to ensure better interaction with clients, understanding of how our clients approach their research, and established 'mentoring' programmes would complete a more holistic training-application-feedback process. - As any company that is associated with high growth, there is a large amount of uncertainty that goes along with the territory for this role. If you do fancy applying be ready to face new challenges and take yourself out of your comfort zone.