Pros
- Great place to work for families - Competitive Pay for Central AR - Spacious Building - Some flexibility for hybrid and WFH First Orion was a great place to work at a certain point in time, and it's unfortunate to see it change for the worse. They are right about one thing - their people are their greatest asset. I worked with a lot of incredibly talented people and loved coming in every day to spend time with most of the people on my team. And I do genuinely believe that they *think* they are trying to be a great place to work and a people first environment. Some leadership choices are likely to blame for missing that mark. To First Orion's credit, the apprentice program was an incredible feat for the state and a fresh approach to building young talent in Arkansas, and I applaud that forward thinking.
Cons
- Repeated layoffs - Unrealistic expectations (particularly related to product timelines) - Divided leadership Unfortunately, I would not recommend that anyone actively pursue employment with this company. In my opinion, First Orion was unprepared for rapid growth, and the business and product stalled behind their competitors because of it. There has been constant restructuring, employee redeployment, and several quiet layoffs and forced leaves they may not disclose. Now, with the latest large layoff, I would be careful of applying here; particularly in marketing or sales, which do not receive adequate support and often have unrealistic expectations placed on them. I don't regret the time I worked there, but I do regret being as loyal as I was to leadership and the company. Avoid the kool-aid and maybe you'll be fine.
