I want to start off by saying any positive reviews you see on here are written by current staff in a deliberate effort to push down negative reviews and keep up appearances. I know because I worked there long enough to see it first hand. Not only are their Glassdoor reviews fake, so are their Google reviews. They actually manipulates their clients into leaving positive Google reviews and if a client ever leaves a negative one, they will do anything to get them to change it - even if it's unethical. Actually, the company should add ‘Unethical” in its core values, which are updated every year, but we will get to that later. They spend more time on damage control than actually keeping clients and employees happy. If they were more proactive and less reactive, they might have a chance of staying afloat. Honestly, I predict the company will go under in the next few years unless they decide to sell it first.
I want this review to focus on how High Level Marketing treats its employees, and less about how they treat their clients (I believe others have clarified on that part). As a company, they do not care about a single person that works for them. Everyone is replaceable and they don’t think they NEED anyone. No matter how valuable you are to the company. Their end goal is money in their pockets and they will never let you forget that. As the company makes more money the employees see none of it, well, other than seeing the higher-ups drive into work in one of their new cars, or hearing them talk about their country club memberships, children’s private school tuitions, or the latest vacations they have been on. Raises will never happen, but they will continuously give you more work while telling you that hitting these goals will eventually land you a raise, but eventually never comes and you are stuck working a full-time job and unable to make ends meet - which is unacceptable. And don’t think that seniority means anything in terms or raises or treatment, everyone is treated like garbage they don’t discriminate there. BUT where they do discriminate, is when it comes to women and people of color. It is CLEAR that both women and people of color are treated differently than the white males in the office. Besides the lack of raises, women and people of color are seem to be problematic, combative, and have attitudes when they speak up for themselves or give input on anything, even when spoken in a polite tone, it is received as sarcasm and disrespectful. Most of those higher up in the company are white males with the exception of of a few - one of them being a woman who has been with the company since the start, and another one who rapidly moved up the latterr in 6 months…. Yeah, I’m still trying to figure that one out too. It’s important to know that the second woman I referenced was promoted while the woman that was SUPPOSED to be in the position was on maternity leave, they eventually dissolved her position… isn’t that illegal? Anyway, this is a very good example of how loyalty means nothing to the owners of this company. They often joke that they want to be the “Burger King of web design” as if that's a positive thing, but I would say they are already there - Bland, lack-luster products, that are put together on a sloppy assembly line, except I am sure Burger King treats its employees better.
Overall, I HIGHLY urge anyone who is thinking about accepting a job here to reconsider. The hostile work environment is not worth the horrible pay. The work environment is so mentally taxing that it wears down on you to a point of depression, and I am not exaggerating. HLM employees have ACTUALLY gone to therapy because of what they have experienced there. When they are trying to get you in the door, they sell you a very grand illusion, but the red flags are there - they probably called you for an interview immediately after you applied, tried to sell you on the “fun and laid back” work environment - casual dress, company happy hours etc., starting you off on a low wage but promising rises in the future. My purpose of this review is to warn people and hopefully prevent someone from going through what myself and numerous other colleagues of mine have been through. If you are offered a job here, keep your sanity in mind and kindly decline.
