KeyW reviews about "leadership"

KeyW has a poor reputation among other companies in the industry. When I tell people that I used to work at KeyW, I frequently get questions like "oh, but you seem like a good one?" Leadership was always bent on building up the company over building strong relationships with customers. It paid off for them with the acquisition by Jacobs, but being acquired was the end-game for them. Not their employees or their customers. KeyW was just one of many companies that are trying to sop up some of the small labor pool in the area. There's no particular reason to work at KeyW over any other subcontractor. If you interview with KeyW, even if you end up choosing to work at KeyW, you should *absolutely* interview with other subs or primes. Chances are you will be working on the same or similar projects. There are plenty of other small and medium sized companies with more competent support staff and management. Having worked at KeyW and several other subs and primes, I wouldn't recommend KeyW. If you do find yourself wanting to work there, just interview elsewhere first before you make a final decision.

Getting more corporate as it got bought and less cohesive.

Bringing together companies is tough and some lingering effects persist, but the way forward is clear

There's honestly not anything I can say other than no place is perfect and KeyW is no different however it's a great environment to work and grow.

**All opinions are based off my experience and my specific contract as an intelligence analyst.** Overall negative environment. Most of the other KeyW employees in leadership positions had a clique mentality. Usually anything management or leadership employees has to speak to you about was something you were doing wrong. When I discussed with management a couple issues I had, they turned it back onto me and did not take any accountability for issues the contract and/or corporate had. I don't know if I would say management had favorites. But, it was made very clear if management did not like you or if you made management personnel mad. Very unprofessional. Promotions are all about who you talk to. If your friends with or considered "cool" by the "in-crowd" you'll get the promotion. Otherwise, they will just keep passing you over. VERY LOW RETENTION. People are continuously leaving. In turn, this creates a large backlog of work which leads to management putting pressure on us to get everything done. UNDER PAID. Unless you make a leadership position (lowest starts around 65k for my contract), expect to start at 50k regardless of education or experience. Security personnel at the corporate office is very incompetent. I tried submitting a referral and they continuously dropped the ball to the point where I just told the referred individual to just drop it cause he/she would be better off. This is just what I can think of. I was a Sotera employee and was integrated into KeyW through the acquisition. I was hoping my experience would improve but it did not.

Employee mobility is very poor. Transparency is lacking between leadership and employees.

Recent acquisitions and integrations created cultural and process disruptions the leadership is working to address. Not strictly a con, but an area for continuous improvement.

Low salary for contract work and difficult federal clients.