Compete, Inc Reviews

Pros

The people, great energy and social aspects. We have lots of events in and out of the office.

Cons

Could have more clarity around business goals and direction.

Pros

Friendly. Reasonable working hours with little overtime. Good team approach. Many social events, which were popular among employees, though not of interest to me.

Cons

Management had unrealistic expectations of the market and what the company could deliver, which lead to the company downfall. This was not just a problem of Compete, but also of the parent company MillwardBrown

Pros

* interesting product * smart colleagues * good clients

Cons

* beer and pizza culture * moderate but not great compensation * upper management lacks ability to think and act stategically

Pros

They train you very well. I came in with no formal relevant experience and very little informal experience, and they trained me in all the coding skills I needed. They're a very flexible work environment. I arrive when I feel like it between 9 and 10 and leave about 8 hours after that. I sometimes work from home. As long as you get your work done, they don't really care how you get it done. Scott seems like a good CEO. Apparently people didn't like the previous guy. But Scott's cool. Very, very smart, sharp.

Cons

Bosses are a bit distant. Because they give me the distance and flexibility needed to get my job done, I sometimes feel like my boss doesn't really see my work, so I worry about future references. But I guess it'll get better if I spend more time there? Let's see how it plays out.

Pros

1. We have a great place to come to work every day with a positive leadership team, positive managers, and whatever support we need. 2. The Executives are busy, but when available, they have an open door for every single employee. Possibly employees might be fearful of walking into an Executives office - that could be addressed. 3. We have an amazing work-life balance. I'm not sure where everyone else has worked, but I am still the last person in the office at 7:30pm other than leadership. On Fridays, 4pm starts social hour. Yes, we all work very hard, have lots of pressure to deliver, and might have to do some work at home, but I guarantee there will be NO better situation anywhere else you go, no matter what someone tells you during a recruiting process. Feel free to risk it. 4. How could we work with a better group of people? The people at Compete - MBD are amazing. Intelligent. Everyone brings something unique to the table.

Cons

1. People complain about things that begin to spread, and therefore, other people start to think the same thing. Instead of spreading things - call an open forum. We all know how open our Exec team is. It's simple - stop whining and own your own career. We, as employees, have the power to make the company a better place. 2. The mergers have slowed innovation from what WE see, but that won't remain for long. This didn't happen to keep innovation at bay. Why don't we start a conversation that matters? 3. People leaving is hard, understandably most of them have been with the company over 4+ years, which is great tenure.

Pros

Good benefit package and some perks, flexibility that help ease the demanding workload (work remote, summer flex hours). Fun social events each month. Good location and office space. Some great colleagues to learn from - everyone in the Boston office loves to learn and is open to sharing knowledge. Challenging projects and big name clients to gain experience working with. Unique data and methodology. Ability to work with other Millward Brown colleagues across a variety of offices and disciplines.

Cons

Since our merger with Millward Brown, the company has continued to lose focus, coherent direction and more importantly, the drive and passion for innovation. I get the sense that some of the folks we merged with don't have the same sense of innovation or startup hunger that originally drew me to Compete. The company doesn't feel organized anymore. Morale has declined, day to day challenges have increased, and upper management has become disconnected. There are too many cooks in the kitchen and an unclear sense of leadership in the areas that truly matter. I don't feel like my voice is heard anymore - upper management will smile and nod then not provide the support or change that is needed. Case in point: we have taken numerous satisfaction surveys and seen negative results. A number of initiatives were put in place to improve those weak areas; However, I have yet to really see action and execution. It's as effective as having a meeting about a meeting. There are a lot of idea generators in upper management but minimal impactful follow through has yet to be demonstrated. I know they mean well, but I feel like nothing gets a 100% attention that is needed from start to finish before moving on to whatever's next on their agenda. We've been losing talented minds, more often than not because they are sick of dealing with it everyday... And quite frankly, there are plenty of other innovative companies with competitive packages to choose from in the city. I don't blame them for leaving, as I often wonder when it'll be my time to look for what's next. I am working really hard, pushing to innovate, pushing to make a difference, but it feels like a drop in the bucket more often than not. I haven't completely lost faith yet, but I am no longer turning away recruiters and will occasionally poke around to see what else is out there. All that said, we NEED talented minds and innovators so please do not be discouraged if you're considering employment here. These current issues can change with the right people in place. The Boston office is small enough (100-150) that some solid hires can make a big difference.