Pros
I came to 5thColumn a year ago, after many years of having to work for companies that never implemented newer technologies. I was beginning to feel that I was falling behind a technical curve and needed a drastic change. 5thColumn has given me the opportunity to work with high profile clients with complex network infrastructure. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for my entire career. If you are someone that enjoys designing sophisticated networking solutions, or working with Linux and building upon open-source solutions, look no further. I've learned more in a year than I have in 5 years at a dead-end job.
Aside from the challenging work, the team here is very intelligent. I've never had the opportunity of working with this many bright-minded individuals, white boarding concepts, and expanding on the knowledge I’ve acquired over the years. The colleagues here are an elite status of “geeks.” Everyone is very friendly and there are no egos at our office.
Cons
A very fast paced environment that can be demanding and is not for everyone. If you are passionate about your job and find that this line of work is more of a hobby than a job, you will sharpen your skills fast. This position leans more to those that are leaders and have a past of executing innovative technologies.