Pros
Good perks from Leaf Group
Cons
This would be a good place for you if you thrive on being micromanaged through the daily tasks but are given no support or feedback (good or bad) to be able to do the job you were hired to do. As a seasoned AE, I had little to no say in how my accounts were being managed. I was still expected to copy my boss on every email and show her every document, sheet or deck I created before I sent it to an account. This caused 100 email long trails and with so many decision makers involved, it was impossible to be my own advocate. Because there were so many other people making decisions on my account, I second guessed everything I did and wondered if I was supposed to act or if someone else was going to. For example, management says they want you to promote and opt into promotions, but they don’t want to ruin their margins which are unbelievably small to start with. They want you to manage the business but pay a 3rd party to talk to the buyers of your accounts. They want you to tell them when that 3rd party isn’t performing, but when you do, they say you are throwing them under the bus. There is favoritism with certain AE’s and they get all the glory while others are never given any kudos or shout outs for wins (and also no feedback when they are not happy with your performance…silence). The favoritism is obvious… and painful. This environment leaves employees feeling blind and lost. Even the overworked (and I am sure underpaid) admin behind customer service is given more power than the AE and is given free rein, not held accountable to the AE’s and does not have to copy the AE on communication concerning their accounts. No wonder that overworked admin talks down to everyone. In training, you are given a ton of information that makes no sense until you do it and then the Engineering lead treats you as if you are stupid if you don’t get it the first time you do it. Again, favoritism abounds, and nobody is held accountable. And forget about salary negotiation, they won’t do it and won’t pay you a fair wage. They will say it’s because you don’t have to cold call accounts, and you are more of a buyer (you DO have to cold call accounts, and you are NOT a buyer) so they give you a small base that is a fraction of what you are worth and promise you more in bonuses. Then the bonus is based on impossible goals set by upper management who never lets you forget them because you are just a number to them. I had to teach myself everything or go to other people in the organization because my bosses were not concerned with my success (nor did they care if I failed it seems). I couldn't take lunch for fear I would be judged for not working hard and I worked many after hours and weekends but it was never enough. There is no work/life balance. I wanted to love this place, but I wish I had never been a part of it. It was like a horribly bad nightmare to have worked there.