Reviews by job title

36 reviews
2.0
18 Dec 2023

Not that great of company

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Decent place to work if you like to eat and don't care about anything else

Cons

Here is the honest, truthful cons about SAM Companies. They say they are on the cutting edge of technology, Not true. Most companies have exactly what they have, except most companies have the benefit of engineering to support as well. SAM is full of mediocre intelligence people that think they know more than they really do. Be careful of the PIA they make you sign in order to be employed. It's full of boilermaker BS that only helps them and not employee. Be careful of the other project managers that will step on you to move ahead. They say they have training but it really is just youtube videos. They don't budget for training so that the upper level management can have a low DL% and stay employed. People say they have good values at this company which is wrong. They don't. The don't value the real workers of the company. The constantly badger you about keeping your DL above 90% if you are a tech and 85% if you are a project manager. Then the Operations Managers, Office Managers, Regional Directors can have a low DL. Trust me when I say that they have a bunch of mid level intelligent people in charge of day to day operations. They most certainly don't have much diversity either, unless you consider intelligence level a part of diversity. Get ready if you hire on to perform time theft from clients you are not even working for. Their motto is to bill hours to existing client projects of you are doing a proposal for that client. Not sure that is in their Scope of Services. As for work/life balance, they say they promote that, but at the DL% set each year for you and then adjusted throughout the year, good luck with a life outside of SAM. You are required to do 45 hours minimum a week and most time more than that. I have seen techs spending the night at work to adhere to their rediculous delivery schedules. The CEO will come on towards the end of the year and blow a smoke stack full of smoke up your you know what. He will say what a great job people do and then bash you in the next sentence saying the company is down. WTF. Upper Management, such as regional directors will tell you throughout the year that you are killing it on profits and then say you are down in profits. Never makes sense. You try and get equipment for the crew so that they can better perform their job and all you get is broken down hand me down crap and then expected to try and get it to run. Crews don't have a clue about proper survey methodology. None of them know how to close out a traverse, adjust a traverser, understand GPS limits, level runs and closures, peg test. except for a select few. They have techs that are doing their boundary and existing easement resolutions while not under the direct supervision of a licensed land surveyor, because managment doesn't understand the concept of direct supervision. It really is scary the amount of work that goes out the door that have never even been reviewed by the signor. There are LSIT's that do a ton of property boundary determinations and then don't or can't tell the LS how they came about that. SAM personnel doesn't understand the current ALTA/NSPS Standards either. They think that just because there are a few items checked on Table A that they first 8 pages of the ALTA standards do not exist. So in a nutshell, if you are thinking about trying to hire on at SAM, do so with the utmost care. You will regret it about 2 months in.

avatar
SAM Companies Response
2y
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns about your experience at SAM. We value your transparency and honest feedback and want to address your concerns as we continuously strive to improve our work environment and practices. We understand your perspective and acknowledge that technology is a crucial aspect of our industry. It's essential to highlight that SAM takes great pride in its innovation and technological advancements. We've successfully developed and implemented five proprietary technologies in-house. Our exceptionally talented professionals crafted these solutions, working collaboratively to address unique challenges in the field. These proprietary technologies distinguish us from other companies, enabling us to provide innovative solutions and stay ahead in a competitive industry. SAM provides a wide range of in-house training in field and office operations, project management, corporate services, and business leadership that extend beyond video courses. We have an obligation to help each other be successful. That's why many of our licensed professionals participate in company-wide study groups to prepare for certification and licensure exams. SAM actively helps employees secure the continuing education credits needed to maintain industry certifications, including providing tuition reimbursement support. While we uphold ambitious goals and maintain standards to sustain our position as an industry leader, we have taken substantial steps to ensure that our employees enjoy a healthy work-life balance. These measures encompass flexible work arrangements, including hybrid and remote options, an unparalleled benefits package, and a commitment to supporting our employees' well-being and family responsibilities through comprehensive wellness and financial assistance programs. We understand that there might be areas where improvement is needed, and your feedback is crucial in guiding our efforts. Please consider reaching out to HRsupport@sam.biz to discuss your experiences in more detail. We strongly encourage all employees to bring their feedback forward, as it only serves to help SAM be more successful.
1.0
27 Feb 2025

Horrible

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Money is ok, management disconnected and inexperienced when it comes to field work. PMs have limited experience dealing with issues in field.

Cons

PM and above are clueless about work. Will use you until your brealing point. Out of town all the time.

2.0
3 Apr 2024

Lack of Support

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Ability to work on various projects across the nation.

Cons

Lack of support. Too much management, not enough technical support.

avatar
SAM Companies Response
2y
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are pleased to hear that you appreciated the opportunity to work on a variety of projects across the nation. We regret to learn about your concerns regarding support and management. At SAM, we strive to create a balanced environment where our team members feel supported both technically and professionally. We acknowledge the importance of providing robust training and comprehensive support to empower our people to excel in their roles. Our training programs are designed to be thorough and effective. We have an entire program called SAM University dedicated to technical training and resources, ensuring every team member has access to the knowledge they need. Additionally, our SAM Mentorship Program pairs less experienced staff with seasoned professionals to foster growth and development. We also offer tuition reimbursement to encourage continuous learning and professional advancement. Many of our employees actively participate in industry organizations, often leading initiatives and contributing to the field. Furthermore, we support our team in taking certification exams and obtaining licenses to enhance their technical expertise and career prospects within the company. Your feedback is invaluable as it helps us identify areas for improvement. We are committed to addressing these concerns and making necessary adjustments to provide a better experience for all our team members. Thank you for your dedication and contributions during your time with us. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and encourage you to stay connected with SAM.
5.0
5 Dec 2025

The Team Management Skill

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The team is very polite. The CEO is very generous. The manager knows how to handle conflict.

Cons

I personally didn't find any cons since i'm working.

4.0
8 Jul 2025

Busy day-to-day

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great training. Friendly employees and management.

Cons

Very repetitive. Not a lot of room to grow

1.0
22 Mar 2024

Nightmare Experience

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There really aren't any pros to mention.

Cons

Complete disconnect from top to bottom. Recruited, interviewed, offered a position, accepted, hired, uprooted halfway across the United States to the State of Washington. Within 5 months laid off, stranded without any support network. Company stated that I could apply with the company again along with work in another location. Even applying internally to apply with other SAM Company locations across the country, as an applicant I'm overlooked and discarded for open hiring positions, mind you. to describe the tone from corporate HR, "sometimes what's best for you professionally isn't what's best for the company," as cryptically state by random HR personnel from Austin, TX. If you love gate-keeping, wimpy, passive aggressive management with the occasional clown thrown in on the side, by all means join the team in Redmond, WA. If you're ready to loose more money than you'll make in a given year, please come work with the office side at SAM. Single-handedly the worst experience in my working professional career. You're not "just a number," here, you're a "number that doesn't matter." Run away from this team.

avatar
SAM Companies Response
2y
We are genuinely sorry to learn of your challenging experience at SAM. Your perspective is important to us, and while we acknowledge your concerns, we also want to emphasize that each person's experience within our organization is different. We are dedicated to creating a positive and supportive environment for all team members. Regarding your concerns about commitments and traveling, we are actively improving our processes and fostering better communication within our leadership and management teams. We acknowledge the challenges that can arise from such circumstances, and we are committed to making necessary changes to prevent similar situations in the future. We aim to provide the best possible experience for each team member at SAM. We truly value your feedback, as it helps us identify areas for improvement. We apologize for any inconvenience or frustration you may have experienced and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
2.0
10 Aug 2024

Hard transition into new leadership

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Local management is easy to work with and supportive.

Cons

Leadership from the top seems reactive and unsure of industry.

avatar
SAM Companies Response
1y
Thank you for your candid feedback and for your 6 years of service at SAM. We are glad to hear that you find your local management supportive. Transitioning into new leadership can certainly present challenges, but we want to reassure you that our CEO, Sam Shakir, brings over 30 years of expertise in driving growth and innovation across global industries, including tech-enabled utility and renewable services. With his background in strategic leadership and industry knowledge, Sam is focused on leading SAM with a clear, forward-thinking approach. We are committed to working together with our teams to ensure a successful and steady path forward. Your feedback is invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve.
4.0
26 May 2024

Sr Project Engineer

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great Benefits and work environment.

Cons

Management does not keep you informed of changes to policies and procedures.

avatar
SAM Companies Response
1y
Thank you for your feedback! We are pleased to hear you enjoy our benefits and work environment. After 30 years in business, we are proud of the reputation we’ve built and the culture our people help us craft each day. We acknowledge your concern about management. We are actively working to improve communication among our managers and their teams. As a company, we'll do our best to keep you informed, but we also depend on our managers as the first line of defense for sharing important information. If you have specific examples or suggestions on how we can enhance this further, please let us know. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to SAM!
4.0
31 May 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Opportunities, a lot of different choices

Cons

Management quality can vary wildly

avatar
SAM Companies Response
1y
Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you appreciated the opportunities at SAM. We acknowledge your comment about management and want to assure you that we are continuously working to improve. Recently, we received a 2024 Top Workplace Culture Excellence Award in the leadership category. This award is based solely on feedback from our employees in an annual company-wide survey and reflects our commitment to enhancing leadership skills. We recognize that everyone's experience can be different, and we are dedicated to ensuring consistency in leadership quality. To this end, we have implemented training programs and initiatives aimed at improving our managers' skills. Your input helps us continue to grow and strive for excellence. As always, if you could share any specific details with us, that would be extremely helpful. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us at HR@sam.biz. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.
Viewing 1 - 3 of 36 Reviews

Glassdoor has 192 SAM Companies reviews submitted anonymously by SAM Companies employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if SAM Companies is right for you.