Harte-Hanks – “Not a place for intelligent, results-oriented professionals”

Pros

Offers some flexibility with regard to time off. Location can be an advantage for nearby residents. No travel required. Account Management is overvalued and if you are one, and know how to exploit a political environment to your advantage, this is the right place for you.

Cons

The time I spent at the Harte Hanks database group will always be branded in my mind as the lowest point of my career. The group is dominated by politically motivated individuals who essentially lack talent, but are bent on dominating more talented individuals who are trying to do something positive from a solutions standpoint. Technical talent, barring the few who have found a way to align themselves with the political big wigs, are essentially treated as expendable. H-1B workers are hired under the pretence of being offered immigration support, and are kept hanging for a while before being let go. The account management function is given way too much importance here. Account managers offer little in terms of actual solutions development but enjoy extensive support and prominence. This makes it an intolerable environment for results-oriented, smart people. The bottomline is - if you enjoy working with intelligent, results-oriented professionals in a fair environment, this is not the place for you.

Advice to Senior Management

Mid-level leadership has degraded to the point where it will have a long-term effect on Harte Hanks' competitiveness. Try a complete leadership change in the local offices by bringing in fresh viewpoints. Don't just look to old timers for providing the right leadership. The current approach is surely going to hurt the company's performance in the long run.