Making the World Worse - Associate Russell Tobin Employee Review

1.0
14 Mar 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You can meet some fun people and make friends if that's what you're looking for.

Cons

No one running this company has any real skills or knowledge and they contribute nothing, At best, taking credit for the work of others. They're constantly changing things and implementing panicky quick fixes that are really just more busy work from a bloated and very lazy upper management, attempting to distract from their own incompetence. Some people report a lack of micromanagement but that's certainly not the norm, or my experience. For most, it's an extremely distrusting relationship from the jump. There are rules for some like PTO limits and working remotely but not for others. You can be in favor one day and easily case aside and discarded the next. I can understand hardline decision making but its really just short sighted. They are not good stewards of their resources, they burn through people fast. Secretly laying off multiple people weekly for the last year or so. Management is constantly building the track in front of them on shaky ground, it's just an extremely stressful and chaotic environment. They are forever trying to save their own skins and avert Leo's gaze. I have seen upper management throw decent hardworking people on their own teams under the bus countless times. Almost as much as I've seen completely unskilled and overcompensated fools be promoted, rewarded, and 'saved' from repercussions for their bad behavior. If this sounds like a depraved, barely functioning cesspool that's because it is. There is not enough work to meet your metrics, but they keep increasing them. Wishful thinking I guess. They'll berate you constantly without offering any concrete feedback or guidance, in fact they will try to avoid communicating 1:1 as much as possible in favor of vague and generalized group speeches. SOME of you aren't meeting expectations.... Someone needs to be held accountable for this sinking ship and fast. It's not your associate level workers who should be left holding the bag, that's for sure. Client engagement is very low and real reqs are limited. Every single system and process is convoluted and ever-changing, gummed up with multiple layers of account managers, sales people, FAMs, SAMs, managers, and directors who all want a piece of whatever meager fee you can bring in while contributing nothing. After they've gobbled up what they can, they'll be happy to let go of those "closest to the dollar." You can be elevated or promoted one week and fired the next. It's not just a lie that you'll make lots of money and earn commission and bonuses, this place will actually degrade your self-worth and integrity. No matter what, when you work for someone, you put your faith and trust in them. Senior leaders at RTA will betray that trust without a second thought, and really just because they are profoundly lazy. If you've come this far and are seriously considering working for Russell Tobin or Pride Global at ANY of the offices (its not just NY), you must be desperate. And I can understand that. But I promise you'd be better off dipping further into your savings, moving back in with your folks, or building subway sandwiches while you wait for something else. That's where this company has left countless people after years of service anyway, but at least you won't have wasted your time enriching a bunch of clueless losers with nothing of value to offer the world or the people they employ.

Explore other reviews about Russell Tobin

5.0
24 Nov 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I have worked at other agencies and Russell Tobin outweighs all of them positively. I feel supported, and like my contribution matters. Management is approachable and wants to see you succeed. Hybrid flexibility is a plus and the office is in a great location with free parking!

Cons

None that I can think of at the moment.

1.0
18 Jan 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

On the surface, this company employs many genuinely decent human beings, especially on the recruiter level. Unfortunately, the culture and leadership structure ensure that those people struggle to succeed.

Cons

The environment is steeped in toxic masculinity, where aggression, dominance, and performative confidence (especially from those who don't understand the industry or have never recruited) are rewarded over collaboration, empathy, or competence. Bullying behavior is normalized, often disguised as “directness” or “high standards,” and there is little accountability when it comes from the right people. Management regularly pits employees against one another, sometimes through surprise or random video calls designed to catch people off guard. These interactions feel less about problem-solving and more about “gotcha” moments—intending to embarrass and expose, while creating tension within the organization. This fosters fear, not excellence, and actively discourages trust or teamwork. Employees are not treated as people—they are treated as salaries and line items. Burnout is common, yet dismissed. Human concerns are framed as weaknesses. In meetings, it is not uncommon for a senior leader to tell women to “smile more,” reinforcing a culture that is out of step with even basic professional norms. At the top, the prevailing goal among senior leaders appears to be self-preservation, as they are promoted beyond their capabilities. Many seem focused on collecting paychecks and avoiding disruption, fully aware that their compensation far exceeds what they could command elsewhere. As a result, meaningful change is avoided, difficult conversations are postponed indefinitely, and dysfunction persists.

6
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