Pros
I’ve loved working at Outset, and here’s why: overarchingly, Outset has a motivating product, a really great culture and team, a flexible work environment, and a lot of ambition. Ultimately, Outset has a great product with a strong product–market fit. Outset’s mission is about creating meaningful career exploration opportunities for high schoolers, and I think, top to bottom, everyone on the team gets to see the impact of what we do on the lives of students and their families. That’s really motivating. What stands out most to me about Outset is the fact that it’s highly ambitious while still providing employees with a great work-life balance. We have goals to hit and tasks to accomplish, but at the end of the day we’re trusted to “own” our work and get it done. I think Outset strikes a great balance between support and trust, empowering employees to do their best work without micromanaging. We work hard, collaborate well, enjoy what we do, and enjoy working with each other– and then we sign off and can truly focus on our lives outside of work. Employees who succeed here are self-motivated, solution-oriented and flexible while still striving to accomplish goals.
Cons
Outset moves fast! If you prefer highly structured, slow paced, predictable work - it probably not the place for you. There are definitely times of the year that are our “busy season” - especially for camp staff and admissions. I enjoy the fast paced nature of the work but keep in mind that’s a real aspect of the company - where departments have to “lock in” for a few months. There’s a lot of opportunity and responsibility early on- great for self-starters, but it’s not a place to coast. Everyone is expected to make a big impact and be self-motivated.
