adMarketplace Reviews

Pros

Management has high expectations which is sometimes not for everyone. The do manage results closely but what privately held company doesn't.... Especially when they are going up against the Goliath's of the ad tech industry in Google and Yahoo. That being said you do have the opportunity to grab as much responsibility as possible and be stretched in ways you never thought possible....and from a career perspective that's what you really want.

Cons

High expectations are not for everyone
This is a fast pace environment so get your running shoes on

Advice to Senior Management

Please make Bagel Friday every week...not just one and done.

Pros

- Plenty of opportunities to get your hands dirty
- Fun coworkers
- Open atmosphere
- Fun client events
- Good foot-in-the-door opportunity

Cons

- Management lacks leadership abilities
- Employees are not usually treated well for how much work they put in
- Lower than average salary
- Less than full benefits
- Management holds you responsible for your work, but don't hold themselves to the same standards

Advice to Senior Management

Invest in your employees. Don't act like they owe you just because you're at the head of the company and you "gave them an opportunity to work there." Listen to them in meetings; they are experts in their fields and giving you suggestions for the better of the company. That's not disrespect.

Pros

Company is growing very quickly, brand becoming a known player in the industry.
Promotions mainly come from within, and as company grows, room for career growth abounds.
Great team of people, young and driven, makes it easy to come to work every day.
You will be working with major brands/companies and be involved in big projects very quickly.
Accountability puts the ball mostly in your court. Excel and the sky is the limit.

Cons

With a company growing so quickly, there are definitely growing pains - which is exciting but not for everyone.
Because everyone is so accountable for their work, this is not the company where you will skate by.

Pros

Some great upper level employees to learn from.

Cons

Managed in fear
Everyone has a target on their back
Try to promote good work/life balance...beer pong at 7pm on Friday is not the answer. Especially when no upper level management joins in.
Most employees quit after a month....even top producers are not happy.

Advice to Senior Management

Leave the verbal abuse at home.
Stop managing on fear, everyone is aware the goal is to just sell the company.

Pros

Coworkers are very smart and knowledgeable. If you're interested in learning about different areas, many have great backgrounds and can give you more information. Almost everyone is open to sharing their experiences.

However, senior members are often overloaded, so you may not get the feedback you need.

Cons

They take attendance and now they are going to start 'grading' your code. Management is essentially two-faced, telling you one thing, like, 'we don't want you working here all hours', but then showing and demanding the opposite, such as moving code releases too early, not sufficiently testing the code, and finding scapegoats to fire. The system is buggy and hastily put together and new hires struggle with learning. There are many more new hires than senior members, (who have been pushed out), and there is high turnover. Someone quit after only two days when he saw what was really going on. There is no loyalty from management even if you've done great work for years and the contract also states that they can fire you for any reason.

It's the recession and they'll use that. And most of the new hires are on visas.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop walking around with a metal bat to instill fear in your workers. Stop blaming people when they can't fix problems that you created.

Pros

Fast-growing company with fun & driven coworkers, most of whom were very social and outgoing, which made coming to the office on a Monday morning tolerable. They're on the forefront of technology and internet, so always ahead of the curve. There's no bureaucracy, promotions are merit-based not ass-kissing-based, and the management worked next to and with everyone, not above them; I could go to the COO with questions or concerns, no layers of red tape. That equals fast response times and quick problem-solving.

Cons

The office building bathrooms were whack. With new people always starting, there were continuity issues at times, the growth spurts of a young company--learning people's names and what they do, figuring out procedure and protocol, and so on. They were working on figuring these things out as I was leaving.

Advice to Senior Management

More team-building would be very beneficial to solve the continuity issues mentioned above. Help new people assimilate into the office smoother and quicker.

Pros

- Hard work is noticed and rewarded
- Culture is focused on success and company has tremendous momentum
- Great combination of serious work and time for fun
- Opportunities for growth and advancement
- High level of client interaction and corresponding responsibility
- Awesome perks, including travel, events, and team-building outings
- Management acts like a "good coach" - fair, tough when necessary, and will make you your best self

Cons

- Higher than average turnover in the past, but never saw an unwarranted departure
- Client base had previously been average, but is now top-notch
- Marketing materials were sub-par, but issue was addressed
- Not the place for someone looking to be lazy, unmotivated, or uninspired

Advice to Senior Management

My experience at adMarketplace was both financially and personally rewarding. I felt like a valued member of the team, and that my feedback to management was heard, respected, and most importantly, acted upon. I still visit the office when I am in town, and am warmly received when I do. My advice would be to be even more selective when making hiring decisions, as it takes the right kind of highly motivated and emotionally stable person to work there. That being said, the company has exhibited tremendous growth in a down economy, and management is notably intelligent and strategic minded. I always felt like we were headed in the right direction, and that was proven during my time there and the time since my departure. Overall, I miss working there and highly recommend both the Account Executive position and the company in general to those looking for a challenging next career move.

Pros

- Company has start-up culture, you will not feel pigeonholed into doing a specific kind of work
 - Opportunity to learn new skills quickly
 - Exciting, fast-paced industry
 - For advertising, reasonable compensation

Cons

- You will consistently feel that you are smarter than management
 - Office culture can be difficult at times
 - Company objectives change regularly, leading to confusion

Advice to Senior Management

Have respect for your employees. They will be better and more reliable workers if there is more of a team environment. In addition, replacing some senior management to bring on board individuals with better leadership and vision may be necessary.