Grow where you please while remaining well-rounded
Pros
As a small company experiencing exponential growth, you'll never be bored at SVI. The main application, Learner Mobile, is evolving so rapidly that by the time one enhancement is finished you'll have two more on your plate. You will be challenged and there can be tight deadlines, but these give opportunity for massive personal growth if handled appropriately. Find yourself with some time and noticed how a technology you know/are interested in learning can fill a gap? Bring it up to your manager (who works a short distance away from you) and you'll likely be rolling on it within the hour. Answering the phones and handling customer service allows you to chat directly with users using the product, which can help to gain valuable insight into what's working and what isn't. The company is very tight knit, each person bringing a value blue perspective to the table. They also take very good care of their own and, as long as you're getting your work done, the vacation policy is unlimited (I took roughly 4 and a half weeks of vacation my first year). It's also not uncommon for people to come and go during the day, attending to personal matters, and no one bats an eye. The management trust that you know your workload and you're getting your tasks done. They also take very good advantage of one-on-one meetings to make sure you're happy, that you're growing, and that the company is learning from you. Leaving SVI I know what I want from my next company, and also know how to take new challenges in stride while also keeping the user in mind.
Cons
As a small company, they still have the needs of any company. If you're a software developer looking to just keep your head down and develop, this role may be a challenge. As a developer you are also an IT person, so all things tech-related fall on your shoulders. With customer service also being part of your role, if you don't actively pursue knowledge on the other platforms that SVI offers, you may find yourself piling work on other people because you're not prepared for a client's request/issue (this was mostly my fault. I was so excited about the projects I was working on that I didn't look into the other platforms at all). This is not only relevant for developers, but many other people wear multiple hats, which can sometimes lead to them not being able to do their primary role to the fullest because they have to attend to other matters. This will ease off with time, and as the company grows I hope people can focus more on their primary role rather than having to give and take priority on the fly.
