Pros
The only positive part of my time at MarketSpark was my former colleagues. They were supportive, collaborative, and encouraging qualities I had hoped to see in leadership but did not.
Cons
Unfortunately, my experience at MarketSpark was disappointing and frustrating from the start due to poor management and misaligned expectations. The role was advertised as remote, but that wasn’t 100% true. I was told the first couple of weeks would require commuting to the office three days a week for training, which I agreed to despite the 1.5-hour commute each way. However, it quickly became clear that management expected much more in-office presence than was disclosed.
Some immediate red flags:
1. Although the role was “remote,” I was told it would be good for me to come into the office as much as possible for leadership “visibility” and consistently advised “perspective is everything,”
2. I was advised to provide advance notice if I planned to come into the office—without a clear reason, other than making sure my manager also be there. Odd request, to say the least.
3. My first week and a routine 1:1, I was unexpectedly quizzed on processes and tracking tools. It felt unprofessional and unnecessary.
4. Finally, I was informed, “I don’t like to micromanage.” In my experience, when a manager says this, the opposite is usually true—and that was exactly the case here.
By the end of my second month, I noticed my position was already reposted online. Shortly after, I was let go under the explanation that I’d been given enough chances to “turn things around.”