Pros
I switched to tech from Private Banking 2 years ago & Prenetics is my 2nd startup. I was with my first startup for about a year before I joined Prenetics. My first startup experience really wasn't too pleasant, as the founder over-promised and under-delivered on all fronts. So, after hearing many good things about Prenetics from a friend who was working there I joined without any hesitation. Despite having been burnt by my last startup experience, the decision to move to Prenetics turned out to be more than a right one and I have not regretted a single bit since I joined 3 months ago. Prenetics is everything I have imagined a great startup to be – energetic, fast-paced & dynamic. It helps that the company is backed by heavyweight investors such as Alibaba & Ping An, which gives you a sense of security that most startups don’t offer. But what impressed me more is the people that make up the team. Everyone here is self-motivated and passionate about what they do, because they know the value of their work not just to clients but also to the world at large. They are also fun-loving and enjoy occasional banter in the office or some happy hour to wind down after a long day. The company has also been able to attract many talents from not just different industries but also different countries who all gave up their fat pay cheques to part of something greater. It is exciting to be surrounded by people with such diverse experience who at the same time share a common vision for the company. As the Prenetics is expanding rapidly, it also means that you will get exposure to the different markets. Being in a growing company gives you plenty of opportunities to contribute to the decision-making process which is not something that you get in a big corporation. All in all, Prenetics has been great for me personally so far. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are sick of mundane corporate life and being stuck in a specialised role, you should definitely give this place a shot!
Cons
Every place has its pros & cons and I’m not going to lie that Prenetics has some room for improvement! If you have worked for a multinational company or international corporation before, please be prepared that this place will not give you the same kind of employee benefits that big companies offer. Like most startups, Prenetics is still in a bootstrapping stage so everything is on a budget. Do take this into consideration when negotiating your package if you are considering joining the company. However you do get a big party once a year on company’s expense! Hours can be long especially when project deadlines are up. Most of the time employees will be managing multiple projects so having endurance & good time management skills will be a key to your survival here! Depending on the markets you are covering, frequent flying can be expected which can be great for some if you love travelling or getting international exposure. Like most successful startups that are growing into a multinational company, Prenetics tends to forget that it is no longer a small company that can afford to be agile and flexible. As such, directions can change quite quickly and sometimes disruptive for employees. However, structures are slowly being introduced into the company to standardise workflows and avoid confusion. Lastly, I have read some bad reviews here but at least from the time I joined I can see that the management is focusing a great deal on employee satisfaction. A new People and Culture Manager has just been installed to look after the welfare of the people, and activities such as dragon boating have been organised to improve the camaraderie among employees. Small gestures such as appreciation pack for employees on work anniversaries also show that the company does care. Hopefully Prenetics can continue to improve and people at the heart of everything it does!
