Pros
- The people. My number one pro. There are some absolute great developers and lower level employees at this company. It really helps to make up for some of the cons and allows you to overlook the toxic management of the company. - Mobiquity can be a great resume builder. Unless stuck on a long-term client, you will get the chance to work on various different apps for various different companies. Some have decent name recognition. - Culture can be pretty good at times. If the disconnected and clueless higher ups aren't around, and you're able to get your head down and actually work, it can be an enjoyable atmosphere. - Training. If you have little knowledge of mobile development and are looking to make a transition, their initial "OnRamp" program can be useful to a degree.
Cons
- Top Heavy. The top heaviness of this company is almost unbelievable. Combine that with the fact the the higher ups are inept is a recipe for disaster. The number of VPs, AVPs, directors, assistant directors, board members, advisory board members, Chief Something Officers, and managers is astounding. What's worse is you see people promoted to these positions who you know are not effective at their jobs. The CEO is nothing but a figurehead, so he's pretty irrelevant. When he does come around you wonder who he is and if he's talking about the same company you work for. - Projects. Oh man... The projects are bad. I was never able to fully figure out if it was a problem of them being oversold or of mismanagement in general. Don't be surprised to find yourself on a project that is understaffed, underscoped, and absolutely must follow an impossible timeline. Often times they ask development to start before even basic design or architecture has even been approved by a client. Deadlines will not shift so expect to be working massive overtime towards the end. I saw a review that said "no one expects you to work more than 40 hours a week." Please, for your own sake, do not believe this. In Gainesville, only working 40 hours a week means you're available for more work. I understand in the development industry that overtime happens. It's expected. At Mobiquity, it's the standard not the exception. - Compensation. It's deplorable and well below industry standard. There's not much else to say. The argument you will get is that Gainesville has a low cost of living. Do the numbers and don't sell yourself short. The other excuse you'll get is that Mobiquity is a startup. This company has over a dozen offices in 5 countries. At some point they have to stop using this excuse. No 401k matching. Healthcare is not fully paid for by employer. - Career progression. It's virtually non-existent. There's a plan called "Mobiquity Paths" that outlines the exact requirements necessary to get a promotion. Once you meet those requirements, they look at you dumbfounded. Performance reviews are given by managers who are not connected to the developers in any way, and may not have any idea what project they're even on. One manager even had to send out an email before a performance review asking her employees what they had been doing the last few months. There's no training or mentorship from the senior developers after onramp. You're on your own. - Turnover. I'm not sure if this is a con or not. I'm happy to see those people seeking positions at companies that will value them and where they can grow their career. The turnover is incredibly high which is always a negative sign, though. Management will not announce or acknowledge when people leave. One day they're just gone and if you're lucky you might hear a snide remark from up high to acknowledge their past contributions. - Disrespect. Although present at the top, it is also present at the mid levels. One employee left and the Development Director of all people made a scene in front of much of the office on their last day. Saying things like "you'll regret this" and "you'll come crawling back." The behavior was nothing short of bullying. - Bonus plan. The bonus plan is simply designed to not give an employee their full bonus. New metrics were set that are obviously unattainable by anyone. - Longevity. Mobiquity isn't making any friends. Each disappointed client is another step in the wrong direction and hurts the company's reputation. - Fulfillment. It starts to wear on your psyche to consistently be part of mismanaged apps and deal with unhappy clients. After a time, you realize that even if they payed you a proper salary, you'd be unhappy.
