Mission-driven team, but significant mismatch between role expectations and reality
Pros
- Passionate, mission-driven team with smart, dedicated colleagues who care deeply about the work. - Exposure to a wide range of operational functions; valuable for those looking to broaden their skill set. - The CEO handled the layoff process with empathy and professionalism. - I received a strong endorsement from senior leadership upon departure, which I appreciated and reflects the quality of my contributions.
Cons
- The role I was hired for did not reflect the responsibilities I was ultimately assigned. I was expected to take on office management, executive assistant duties, HR administration, and finance work (including bookkeeping, Quickbooks, and bank/credit card reconciliation), often with little context or resources. - Seating the Operations Manager at reception, in an office with minimal on-site gender diversity, framed the role as purely administrative and undercut my authority to lead strategic initiatives. - Communication around priorities was inconsistent, and the management style leaned toward micromanagement rather than trust-based collaboration. - While the layoff was not performance-related, unclear expectations and shifting responsibilities made it difficult to operate effectively. - The experience clarified the importance of role alignment and has made me more intentional about seeking opportunities where I can contribute at a strategic level.
