Pros

OPNET develops best in class software solutions and for someone in sales, I am happy to report that these products sell themselves once we connect them with smart network, system, and application team professionals.

Cons

The products are so good that I have so many sales opportunities to manage that my personal time is a bit short.

Advice to Senior Management

You have hired the best and brightest, so explore ways to better harness the collective intelligence of your employees. Also, suggest considering leveraging more predictive market analysis when deciding upon product features and roadmap.

Pros

Smart and talented engineers; superior to my experiences with similar organizations. The company aims high with its software and for the most part delivers, which is a source of pride.

Preparing for the annual customer conference held in August makes for a very hectic summer that's for the most part enjoyable, and the conference itself is a good time.

Company policies make for a flexible work environment--as long as you're responsible for the most part you can work in whatever manner (hours, teleworking, environment setup) suits you best.

Good office space in a great location.

Cons

Very poor communication from senior leadership--creates an environment where there are "haves" and "have nots." The software development process is a cumbersome waterfall approach that was state-of-the-art--for the 1980s. The lack of organization

Benefits have been degrading over the past few years (probably similar for most companies)--401(k) match is fairly small and employee health costs have been rising while benefits shrink.

Advice to Senior Management

Communication and dialog amongst the entire company / major divisions. Streamline the development process--allow for a more iterative process that doesn't rely on large stakeholder meetings that are rarely productive.

Pros

Fast-growing dynamic company, where people are given wide latitude to grow the company. Engineering-run and focused, so good for techie's. Very little politics, very transparent organization with well-defined management structures. OPNET also has shown consistent growth since its inception, refusing to follow the whims of the market with rush-hires and layoffs.

Cons

OPNET has a wide variety of technology, from deep R&D to application monitoring, making it hard to really master all the areas.

Advice to Senior Management

I would encourage more frequent communication to the troops.

Pros

- Great culture
- Safe job
- Dinner benefit
- Great location (can't beat Bethesda area)

Cons

- Not much room for growth.
- Employees are underpaid. Bethesda is as expensive as California and the salaries can be compared to Mid-west.
- Micromanagement by some senior people
- No incentives for professional development

Advice to Senior Management

- Give employees a chance to grow on their feet. Trust them to complete their work, instead of micromanaging them.
- Be competent and aggressive.
- Concentrate on important issues. Prioritize the projects than can have a maximum impact on the industry

Pros

OPNET is very shrewd with managing its income, so you do not have to worry about it going out of business.

Cons

The engineering process needs a lot to be desired. It has all of the downsides of the waterfall model of development with none of the upside. Releases are generally late and initially very buggy. OPNET is also stuck in the past using 90s error technologies like C++ which makes professional growth difficult for engineers.

Advice to Senior Management

Be honest about what you are building and how long it will take. When development goes awry due to unforeseen circumstances, accept it early, and course correct. Sitting in denial only makes the process worse.

Pros

- Free dinner!
- Good work (depending on the team you work in)
- Few good team leads
- Big offices (no cubes)

Cons

- Compensation is below par when compared with other companies (the big guys eat up all the money)
- Seems like promotion is tied with the amount of hours you put in and not necessarily the quality of work you do
- Legal department is horrible
- They make you sign a 18 month contract if they file for your H1B

Advice to Senior Management

VP's - Please do read the feedback employees write during their annual reviews and give compensation based on both the reviews and experience, not based on how many hours they sat in their offices. If you want good employees to stay, fix the legal department.