Pros
The research itself is interesting and fulfilling but is marred by the insistence on unachievable targets (for me, my average caseload inventory was approximately $16,000 per month but my target was approximately $25,000). The staff are basically the only other decent thing about this job because, for the most part, everyone is really great and there are still a few long term staff left. That said, the horrible culture is impacting newer employees and that tight-knit, collaborative circle of researchers is dwindling as newer researchers (basically working in fear) learn to tell on each other, literally like it's grade school, and throw their coworkers under the bus to avoid being scolded for minor errors.
Cons
As mentioned, skewed target system with targets heavily exceeding actual workable inventory. When this was brought up to management (repeatedly), I was essentially told that I was wrong, without any real explanation. They decide who gets new files pretty randomly and based on favouritism of management (who literally have never worked a case and have basically no understanding of the actual job), rather than basing it on who has the lowest inventory and highest target or some other sensible method. Management generally have no idea what they're doing. One did the job for awhile, but it was 30 years ago, before the internet was even a thing, so there isn't any real grasp of how things are done in a modern way. No other manager has ever worked a case or researched a file. They tell you what you should do (or not do) without having any idea as to how this would apply in the real world. Since I left this workplace about a year ago, 9 other long term staff have quit. I know this because we still meet up and talk, largely bonding over how terrible our lives were when we worked there and how much happier we all are now we have escaped. The staff are basically the only other decent thing about this job because, for the most part, everyone is really great and there are still a few long term staff left. That said, the horrible culture is impacting newer employees and that tight-knit, collaborative circle of researchers is dwindling as newer researchers (basically working in fear) learn to tell on each other, literally like it's grade school, and throw their coworkers under the bus to avoid being scolded for minor errors. Also, if you want to work at this position, be prepared to start logging every minute of your day into a computer program. They will brag about how they don't micromanage, but that isn't really necessary when a program is doing it for you. At one point, we even had to log our bathroom breaks into the program. It's really hard to work when you're constantly worried about how to log the time. If someone walks by your desk and says hello or comes to ask a question, you feel pressured because you want to be helpful and friendly but you're really just wondering how you're going to account for that 10 minutes. It's a really stressful thing to come into every day. Overall, this job has the potential to be amazing. The work itself is a lot of fun and can be genuinely fulfilling but this is heavily outweighed by the awful culture, micromanagement, terrible wages (I didn't go into this well but basically, they'll expect a BA or MA but they won't want to pay you industry standard. Also, don't expect a pension and get used to paying dearly for trash benefits) and incompetent management team. There is a reason 9+ long term staff have quit over the last year and I'm sure it's not the last of it. This company is on their way out and while they might say all the right things about valuing employees, actions speak louder than words and their actions pretty much equal a huge middle finger aimed at their staff.
