Pros
- If you're in a desperate/ dire situation and have them as your plan Z you can accept their offer: might be applicable for career-shifters, fresh grads, or those who need an immediate income. - Aside from this^ nothing else
Cons
In my 3 years of stay (bond duration), I was never promoted (only regularized from probation). The manager in charge of me was assigned to lead a new department and thus dropped all the responsibility of handling the promotion process which resulted in no promotion until the day I left the company. Our batch of 'bootcampers' was gathered for the promotion announcement and procedures (1 year into the company). However, due to what happened to some of us (said scenario), we were not promoted and waited for nothing with false hope for the following 2 years. I left the company having a lower salary than the newer 'bootcampers' as my promotion and salary increased was not given to me (see below) If you were put in a situation like mine, your team might not have projects for years without any plans from the higher management. They will constantly retool you and put you into responsibilities where you don't belong. Many times, you would be training or 'bootcamping' for nothing. The bond contract is very long and very strict and is not retroactive. This was the opinion of a consultant from the Department of Labor and Employment (PH), not just my words. Shady Practices: There are a lot of informal promises used to lure you into hiring, such as promised certifications or signing bonuses. Don't be tricked by this, since this company plays a lot with contract legalities. As long as it isn't part of the contract, they won't provide it. They will literally tell you to check the contract, then lie afterwards that they didn't promise anything. You can't be too innocent for them. If you have submitted your resignation, even if you are pending a promotion or a salary increase, you would be removed from those lists. Does it matter? Of course, you'd be leaving with a lower rate for your final pay. You are required to absolve them of any problems that could come back to them (e.g., mental health problems) before you could be cleared after resignation and have your final pay processed. Even if it is agreed upon in their contracts and forms, from my experience, there would be chances that they won't fulfill their obligations. For example, by agreement, they would provide the final pay within 2 months (which is a long time compared to other companies) from resignation based on their clearance form. In my case, I got my final pay after 3.5 months, and I had to seek help and assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (PH) just so I could get them to process it. Note: This was the 3rd company I've been in, and none of the prior companies I've been in treated employees as badly as Pointwest did,