Pros
Co-workers and the customers. I really enjoyed having the privilege of meeting and working with so many college instructors. They are a passionate bunch who deeply care about education and how they can reach students. It makes me feel good about the future of higher ed in the US to know that there is such a dedicated core of instructors.
Cons
The company has already cut staffing to the bone and is now sawing deep into the marrow. Financial performance of the company has been dismal, which is partly due to over-inflated revenue projections, partly due to softer than expected digital sales and partly due to lower student enrollment overall. The company's investors (who bought the company out of chapter 11 bankruptcy) seem to have lost any desire to grow the company and take it public, and are instead getting their money out of Cengage by bankrupting it. How else do you explain paying out tens of millions of dollars in shareholder dividends and stock repurchases by borrowing money -- which is exactly what the company did last year. You don't have to take my word for any of this -- the financial statements are available on the company's website. This company is losing revenue and increasing their debt load, which is the exact same formula which landed them in bankruptcy court the first time around. Meanwhile, cuts are occurring by canceling bonuses, merit increases and laying off employees in droves. The morale of the company has gone from bad to toxic as execs regularly belittle and bully employees. The new c-level executive has joined the bullies club in the c-suite and rules by fear and intimidation.