***Before starting my review I want to make it clear that I resigned from the company within the terms of my contract, being very professional and with great respect.***
1. Salary: My salary had always been below average and even with my professional progress I had no fair increase. I received an increase of 1k/y based on merit once, but still well below the average (17k).
2. Creative team capacity: There is no one else in the creative team, which creates 2 problems: a. Overload of activities - A lot of requests for new content, videos and images with immediate effect. The time to create the contents is usually 2 days / 3 and at the same time the team asks for more things. It can be very overwhelming and frustrating as there is not enough time to create quality content. I feel that quantity is above quality and there are no defined processes for iterating content. b. There is no one who can bring creative input and participate in the creations as a team
3. Management issues:
- Improper comments: Inappropriate comments by the management were one of the main reasons I left the company. I was depressed due to how much I felt manipulated by management.
There was a case in which the manager was on leave and I had a hospital emergency. In order to not disturb him on leave, I texted him telling that I was going to the hospital but would compensate the time by working after hours. The next day he called me rude in private because I didn't ask his permission to go to the hospital. He also compared my condition to someone on the team who was undergoing chemotherapy but still usually asked for his authorisation to go.
He told me once during an internal investigation that the team thought an employee was hitting on me and that this could be true because of my appearance. "you know you're an attractive woman". I felt uncomfortable as we were alone in a meeting room.
His posture when I resigned could have been more professional. I heard phrases like "I can't believe you're doing this" "We invested in you" "Let your new manager know that you have consideration for your team here" (to postpone the start of the new position) that I felt guilty and in a way coerced. Meanwhile, the Head of Customer Success treated me the best way and made me feel that there was nothing wrong with me taking another step in my career.
I am leaving this review because recently came to know that he's been telling others that I am ungrateful for leaving the company to get more money in another one, because according to him that was my first employment as before I was a cleaner (which is not accurate as I had a business career back in Brazil, my home country), and I should be thankful for him to have given me the opportunity to start my career. Working as cleaner is not reason to be ashamed of or to be underpaid, especially if you have proven experience even though it's abroad.
I've been feeling humiliated by those comments and felt discriminated and exploited for being from another country.
- Lack of feedback: in 1 year working at the company I had a performance review once. The lack of feedback can bring feelings of uncertainty and a lack of a progress plan. Recently the Head of Customer Success got in charge of supporting the creative person, I think this point will have some improvement.
- There could be more interest in the creative area: The manager does not follow the creative area properly, which makes the integration of the operations and creative team difficult.
In general, I feel that it is not possible to be yourself in the company. Trying to be who the manager expects and failing can be very frustrating. I've heard him complain about me exchanging personal messages on Slack when the whole team does that. I feel like I had to become a robot, always defending myself from gossip, thinking several times about the words I use to keep from being rude and always producing more content.
The lack of an HR department was a problem, because I always accepted the discomfort of all those situations previously mentioned as I didn’t have anyone to talk about to and take actions. They recently partnered with an HR coach, but I don't know how much involved in the corporate he is and what's his authority within the company.
5-Lack of processes: Few people on the team send briefings ready to produce the creatives. I usually had to create the briefing, concept and creative.
There is no content iteration or analysis of video results, A / B testing, etc. And there is no time to implement new process as there is only 1 person on the creative team.
