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As I close in on my six-month anniversary here at Cambridge Consultants I wanted to express some of the thoughts that I’ve conveyed to both friends asking how the new job is as well as potential recruits wondering what makes CC a great place to work. Well, before I give a one-sided sermon about why I think CC is the perfect employer, I just want it to be known that I was neither brainwashed nor paid heavily to give such a glowing review, and that I’m not the only one who thinks so. For the last couple of years CC has been placed on the list of The Sunday Times (UK) 100 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work For, and this year came in 38th, a huge honor.
Now, this isn’t my first rodeo. CC is actually my fifth full-time job since I decided to step away from academics almost nine years ago, add to that the tens of companies that I’ve interviewed with in search of the perfect fit, and what you’re left with is a fairly large sample size for someone my age. In that time I’ve been privy to a wide range of corporate environments, from a tiny ten-person startup, to a newly-privatized arm of a technology giant, to a (too) rapidly growing consumer product development company. Typical complaints from employees at any of these companies, and there were many, were “I don’t have the power to influence the direction of my career,” “I’m treated like a number,” “the culture has morphed from what it once was,” “decision-making is tied to company politics and favoritism.” I could go on and on, but what makes those companies so frustrating is what makes CC great.
First off, being located in the Boston office means that you have the feel of a start-up with the backing of a large and well-developed mother ship docked just across the pond. Just writing “mother ship” conjures images of being sent far away on an exploratory journey with only infrequent contact or help. At CC, however, this is not at all true, because while the Boston office feels fairly autonomous (a good thing) there is constant (daily) contact with our funny sounding brethren who drive on the wrong side of the road. And why shouldn’t there be. They are all amazing people with incredible skill sets. So, not only can you tap into the experience of those a desk away, you can also learn from engineers and scientists in labs three thousand miles away.
And there’s none of the mindless drudgery associated with doing the same thing day in and day out. Every day is an opportunity to learn because while Monday you may be working for a client in the oil & gas industry, on Tuesday you could be designing a revolutionary product to go in people’s kitchens…because brewing a perfect cup of coffee or tea is a science, and don’t even think about telling master barista Giorgio Milos otherwise.
CC does an excellent job of promoting a challenging and stimulating environment where you are given the reigns to direct your career path as you see fit. If you want to continue being a worker bee because you just can’t get enough of spinning 3D models around in CAD, then that’s what you get to do. And if you want to step outside your engineering shell and take on management responsibilities, learn how to run projects effectively, or give sales a shot, then you will be completely encouraged and given the support and resources needed to make any of those happen.
While I briefly mentioned how amazing the people at CC are, this really deserves its own paragraph. When I first arrived I was absolutely floored by how friendly and welcoming everyone is, not just in the Boston office but throughout the entire company. Incredibly busy group leaders will drop everything they’re doing to have hour-long telephone calls with you wanting to hear about your background, life outside of work, and interests, which only helps to make you feel like part of a family. Because that’s what CC is. Everyone is approachable, from our CEO to our ever-patient and understanding administrative assistants. And if you ever get stuck on a problem or feel overwhelmed, another member of the team is right there to step in and help you out.
CC has a set of values that we try to instill in both employees who have been at the company for thirty years as well fresh-faced newbies. This is all done to stave off the complacency and negative shift in culture that you find at once great companies in the midst of a growth spurt. Senior leadership is well aware of this propensity, and with great insight has devised tools and implemented structure to ensure that nothing of the sort happens here.
And speaking of a growth spurt, we are indeed in the midst of one. Maybe you are intrigued by what you’ve read here, or maybe you think I’m making this all up and want to see first-hand whether this really is the Eden for engineers. Well, be my guest and take a look at our careers page to see if any of the postings strike your fancy. And if you have any questions for me, feel free to reach out as I’m more than happy to discuss in detail why I think Cambridge Consultants is a great place to work.