Pros
Great mission and some really great people to work with.
Cons
I've battled with myself about leaving feedback concerning my experience with Accelerate, mainly because there are some great people there and I don't want them to feel like I am betraying them, but after much contemplation, there is a desire to prevent others from going through similar issues. This said, know that even if you feel like a valuable part of the team, you can be dropped, based on need, without remorse. I was released due to business complications during COVID. It made sense from a business perspective, so I'm not upset about that. I was an employee who gave all, sacrificed much time away from home, worked long hours, and went above and beyond whenever needed. I was placed on a six month furlough initially with a manager claiming there was no intention of firing me and that I could return once the furlough ended. There was a chance I wouldn't be brought back, but that chance was slim. That was the perception I was given. I wanted to remain loyal since I felt they were doing the same for me. I decided to go to school during this time to better myself. I struggled financially during this time, but was confident I would be returning to work. Nearing the end of the furlough, I received a heads up from a team member that I was likely being released. I immediately began looking for work and was able to secure a position at another company before I was officially contacted to discuss my termination. During the meeting with HR revealing my release, it was notable that the manager who I had spoken with upon furlough notification had not attended the meeting. This manager was the one who worked to make me feel that I would be returning following the furlough. During my release, it wasn't important enough for this manager to face me to let me know they were wrong. It was quite disheartening. Luckily I had the heads up and had another job lined up, so this wasn't as devastating as it could have been. In any event, I was given a date that my official termination would be. Until then, I was still considered employed and still had the ability to remain covered under health insurance (of which I had to pay for out-of-pocket for the six months of furlough). Following the meeting, I began to get things in order and take care of all post-employment tasks. One of the compensations received for the position came in the form of stock options. When I hired on, I was hired with equity and found that the termination date I was given was exactly ONE day before a large portion of the options I had worked for would be vesting. I reached out to HR and requested that my termination date be moved ahead by a day since these were options I had essentially earned. HR refused, even after asking them to reconsider. I also requested a severance since I was being released due to no fault of my own and because of the hard work and sacrifice I had given to the company. HR refused again. I practically begged for even a meager severance ($1,000) because I had four children and it was during Christmas. Refusal again. I reached out to other management seeing if they could pull some strings to get something. No joy. It was humiliating, frustrating, and just an overall terrible experience. I was treated great while the company was doing well, but treated like dirt upon my release, even though it wasn't my fault. In conclusion, I suggest that ALL individuals considering employment with Accelerate to refuse stock options as a form of compensation. If they are still offering this, it will be part of the hire package - base pay plus equity in the form of options. All "raises" came in the form of options, as well. Just know that these have no value at all if you are released and the company chooses not to allow them to vest. In my case it was only a day that they would not permit. Essentially, I received no real raise while I worked there and my hire-on package was worthless, so hiring with equity at this company is too risky. Also know that they will pick and choose who receives severence. Another individual I knew who worked there for much shorter than I did received a severence, while I received nothing. While severences arent' mandatory, it would make sense to have an employee leave on good terms if the fault for the termination wasn't the fault of the individual being terminated.