Specific Media reviews about "people"

This is the worst experience i have ever had working...ever. I was planning my move out of there the second i got hired. Management takes pride in bringing out the worst in people. They don't care about you, they make you feel responsible for the company's mess ups/problems, they make you feel replaceable multiple times a day and everyday, backstabbing or turn your words against you, deceitful and all of their CTRs, PCP, CPA are LIES. If you see a DNU on a campaign, just know they are completely cheating the system to get more of the client's money. Working for Specific Media, is like living your deepest and darkest moments in your life everyday, and you never get a break....That's your life... BUT you get free food?! So ok it's all worth it now....

Let me start off by saying that this is my first review, and normally I wouldn't post a review. However, I know for a fact that a lot of the posts on this site from Specific Media are from the internal marketing department. Working at Specific Media was one of the most stressful periods of my life. The company encourages absolutely no work/life balance. I was expected to be available 24 hours a day including holidays and weekends. When we were not in the office the only socializing that was encouraged after work was with clients. The environment is extremely cliquey and the people who are promoted quickly are the ones who are favored by top management. Intelligence isn't something that is valued at Specific Media on the sales side. Those who succeed are usually the best looking and loudest in the room. The Account Managers who are salary plus commission are never paid in full. On the Ad Ops side those bonus checks that are promised never end up coming. I have heard from several people within the industry that Specific Media is a sinking ship and the investors are no longer giving them money.

So I worked at Specific Media quite a while ago.. before Glassdoor was ever really a useful tool for new recruits. With that said, I was reading some reviews today on Specific Media because an email alert came into my inbox about a new review that was posted. I figured I would see if anything had changed since I left...it didn't. The review from Nov 19, 2015 from the Account Manager in NY inspired me to write my own version of the EXACT same story. Mind you, I was in the IRVINE office so this culture is permeating through their entire company. To use his/her exact words. because I couldn't articulate it in another way and make it more clear: "Working at Specific Media was one of the most stressful periods of my life. The company encourages absolutely no work/life balance. I was expected to be available 24 hours a day including holidays and weekends. The environment is extremely cliquey and the people who are promoted quickly are the ones who are favored by top management" < -- also I would add this: Those who are promoted up the ladder (not lateral promotions to other roles) are typically friends with the management team. With regard to it being one of the most stressful periods of my life. I was in my early twenties, we're talking 21 / 22 / 23 at the time. My body was actually responding to the level of stress I was experience. My girlfriend (now wife) was noticing my behavior was different. My roommate / best friend hated that I was miserable all the time and didn't ever want to do anything. It was seriously awful. During my time at Specific Media I moved from Ad Trafficker to Account Manager. They moved me along for two reasons. One was because I showed interest in it, and two was do to a position opening up do to churn... which really is no surprise. To illustrate one clear example of how they treat their employees let me explain how that transition happened. During the transition they moved from an hourly position to a salaried one. The management team tried to convince me that I would make bonuses every QUARTER (that's once every 3 months just to be clear) and therefore I shouldn't receive a pay increase despite being asked to essentially be available 24/7. This means that I would have to leave my hourly position where I made around 33,000 / year at the time without overtime, to a salaried position for the same wage and work longer hours more often for an opportunity to receive a bonus once every three months. Apparently they thought I was an idiot. I didn't accept the offer until the adjust my pay, and my reasons were clear. I explained that instead of taking the new position I could make that "bonus" money by working an extra 1 to 2 hours of overtime per week for three months and still have the luxury of not being "on call" 24/7... dumb dumb dumb. Maybe they didn't think I was a good fit for their company and that's fine, it happens sometimes. But I'll tell you what... on my last day one of the senior managers said "oh wow I wish we could have found you a role that fit your passion" ... nicest thing anyone ever said to me while I was there. To bad it wasn't until the moment I walked out the door forever. Anyway. I'll stop raining down negativity now, but thank you to that person who wrote their review November 19, 2015 it really inspired me to share my feelings too.

Over time the culture has been deteriorated by over-working and under paying employees. There is huge income inequality both inter-departmentally and across departments. Company started engaging in questionable business practices. Many execs have left the company and many other employees have followed. Hiring standards have lowered, compensation has continued to decrease. Investments are not being made in technology. Many band aids are used to cover up short-comings. Low morale due to lay-offs, and poor work-life balance.

Slow growth at the company. No budgets for anyone outside of Sales. Low salaries. Senior-level managers don't really pay attention to lower-echelon workers

-A typically USA company that doesn't know how to do business in Europe. Founders are not involved enough nor do they know how Europe works. -Online Advertising Dinosaurs... they used to dominate this industry. Lack of technology, strategy and flexibility will bring this company down. -People do not come first. The CEO and very senior management are not people persons.. they simply do not care and get rid of people without any emotion.

Depending whose team you're on, you barely get any help.

bit of a comical attitude to client entertaining;