Pros
I worked as a developer and designer at the Vancouver office of BSTRO for four years and I cannot recommend it enough. My coworkers were smart, hard-working, and fun to be around, and we became friends who actually wanted to hang out outside of the office. My managers were intelligent, accommodating, firm when they needed to be, and respectful while doing so. There was a lot of laughter in the office. As a designer, the projects I had the opportunity to work on were fun, engaging, and challenging. As a developer, I was allowed and encouraged to push boundaries and utilize new technologies. During my time at BSTRO I never felt just like an employee -- they genuinely cared for my well-being and for me as a person. On more than one occasion I messed up and they chose to help me learn, grow and better myself from the experience. I can't say I've ever received such care and support from anywhere else. I left the company because I decided to switch industries and pursue personal work, and it was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. I loved my time at BSTRO and if I ever returned to web design, it would be the first place I would reapply.
Cons
- Like any agency, inevitably there are times when things can get pretty fast-paced in the office. Turnaround times become demanding, deadlines shift, and clients are fickle, but it comes with the territory. That said, the very rare occasions I had to work overtime -- less than a handful of times over four years -- management kept us fed, happy, and entertained. - I wasn't allowed to wear sweat pants in the office