Consolidated Graphics Reviews

Pros

Seemed like a great place to start a career for a recent college graduate. They build you from the ground up; you learn the processes of how their products are made and get a hands on approach to the products before you jump into the office work. Everyone I met with was very friendly and seemed more than willing to help out. Also, all the LDP's were also young and recent grads so it made it feel easier to fit in, while the managers were older and experienced, which would help you to learn. Also you have access to the upper managers and president of the company which I also thought was great.

Cons

However, although it had its pro's there were some cons as well. After three days of orientation, I found out a few surprising facts that were not presented before I accepted the job. First, they don't tell you that you will be working 10 hour days when you start the first phase with only a half hour lunch break. You start at 7 and go all the way until 5, which seems really extreme. Next, at least at the location I was at, they required you to drive to another city that was 170 mile round trip daily for a month straight. They will reimburse you or offer to pay for you to sleep in a motel. The only kind of travel they mentioned were a few weekend trips throughout the year to Texas. I didn't feel like I signed up for a total of 13 hour days. So, a con is crazy long hours. They also require the LDP's to work during the busy season sometimes 7 days a week even with even longer hours, so beware. They told us that some of the workers in the factory would be upset by the LDP's because we were paid more, when some of the managers didn't even have the opportunity for raises in the last few years. Lastly, the benefits you receive aren't all that great. They say they give you a 401 K plan but they don't match anything. So all of those things combined were deal breakers for me.

Advice to Senior Management

Be upfront with your future hires about the travel and hours that are expected of them. Keep being positive and open and willing to help because that is something I would have appreciated if I had stayed there.

Pros

Has a huge upside for growth if you can manage to stay above water and work hard for 3-4 years for not a lot of pay. Each company within CGX is different

Cons

A ton of work
Not very good pay
Doesn't match 401k

Advice to Senior Management

Look to the younger generation for some bright and radical ideas

Pros

was a very good company till about 2000-2004 -- great technology in the printing industry.

Cons

LDP program became main focus __ cheap labor
7000.00 a year employee tax credit from the government to hire young collage grads
hourly employees are treated like they are inferior

Advice to Senior Management

wake up -- soon all the talented people will be gone

Pros

a lot of relevent work experience

Cons

expected to go above and beyond on every project, even if that means moving to a different state and working crazy hours with no time off

Advice to Senior Management

just because associates are "new" and entry level, does not mean we should get taken advantage of

Pros

Laid back atmosphere. Great Boss.

Cons

$$$ It's a dinosaur. The industry is dying and everyone knows it. Your company needs a nitch and if it can't find that your inevitability toast.

Advice to Senior Management

Thank you goes a long way, keep that in mind.

Pros

Experience in industry readily available, large room for growth

Cons

Difficulty understanding employees have personal lives and cannot always work 50+ hours each week.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more flexible if an associate really excels in a certain area and wants to remain there, rather than forcing them to rotate out

Pros

Sales representatives have a broad base of products available to sell. Consolidated Graphics has the largest network of offset and digital printing facilities (70) in North America. As a sales representative, you are geographically assigned to specific facility, but have access to the innovative and wide array of products from all 70 manufacturing facilities.

Cons

Even though you have access to all 70 manufacturing facilities to provide solutions for your customers, you are competing with the sales reps of the other facitilies for a customer. You may spend weeks making contact with a customer only to learn that another CGX company rep is already doing business with them. We use SalesForce but the access is only within our plant.

Advice to Senior Management

Marketing on the CGX Web site is too technical for the print buying market. Marketing collateral needs less pictures of printing presses and more benefits to the customers. Competition with electronic media is forcing printers to be price competitive and provide value added services. While some of the print facilities understand the need to think out of the box and provide new services, they need help from CGX on starting these services and marketing them.

Pros

The people are great to work with and it is a very laid back fun atmosphere (most of the time)

Cons

There is a lot that is expected out of you and no compensation for it. You will have numerous responsibilites and the pay is TERRIBLE.

Advice to Senior Management

Pay your employees better and have better benefits.

Pros

The company invests 3 years of training into developing you. Most companies might not even give you 2 weeks. This position will challenge you and push you to develop both personally and professionally. It is a perfect position for a recent college graduate that is interested in a long term professional development rather then another paycheck. If you feel limited at the company you work for you have 70 other companies to advance your career at! If you are looking for a 8-5 desk job, this is not the position for you. If you are looking to have a fast pace career and always advancing, this is a job for you.

Cons

Benefits and pay are the usual complaint, but it is competitive with an entry level position. If you stick with it, the experience is really what counts and will translate into monetary successes down the road.

Advice to Senior Management

Focus on employee retention (especially associated who have completed the program and you have invested a lot of resources in). Happy employees are successful employees. I think that often with the vast number of companies, associates may not be getting the recognition that they should be from upper management at a corporate level.

Pros

*Merit based program where career advancement is essentially placed in your own hands. You get out what you put in. Those who understand the value of hard work and a positive attitude in today's work enviorment will become company President's, controllers, or high level managers.

*CGX allows young college graduates extensive training in the industry to allow for success later on their career.

*Management understands and cares that in the end of the program, that choosing the career opportunity that suits you best is also healthy for the company.

*Constantly challenged to propel yourself to the next level professionally and personally.

*Company continually invests in new equipment and technology services. Financially stable. Associates have work security.

*Exposure to high profile clients early in your professional career.

Cons

*The salary and benefits are not in line with what is expected out of a TOP LEVEL associate.

* Some rotations call for a level of dedication that eliminates the ability for someone to have a healthy work life balance.

Advice to Senior Management

I like to say that I am happily hard at work at Consolidated Graphics. As a recent graduate of the program, I've landed in a management position that stretches my professionalism and ability each day. This is a challenging program that is not for everyone. However, for those who understand the expectations it is highly beneficial and a great place to launch your career. Every day is a new challenge and when you prove you can handle the dynamic enviornment, you will be rewarded!