This company has the distinction of having changed the course of my career but NOT in a good way.
Almost from the start of my time here, the blame game began. People will rat out their peers to rise through the ranks and the senior management reward this behaviour. There is a layer of senior management who really believe they are above all others they come into contact with, both within Optima and within their client pool and they propagate this culture. They will suck the joy out of your daily life with their showboating, their nepotism, their tendency to criticise/blame anyone other than themselves and their casual cruelty, all the time telling themselves how great they are. The old saying which suggests that individuals in a hierarchy tend to be promoted to their level of incompetence was never more true. There are people here who should not be in management positions. In trying to create structure during growth, the company has assigned senior roles to individuals who have not earned them and are not fit to hold them.
Previous reviews rate 'autonomy' at Optima - this is just another word for 'nobody cares what you actually do'. You will be put where you can earn money for the company, no-one takes an active role in your development if it conflicts with earning revenue for the company. You will absolutely not be supported in engagements and you alone will be blamed if the client is not happy with the outcome. The management takes no responsibility for the mismatch in skills and expectations. You alone take all the strain in terms of dealing with clients and upskilling technically, which is great if it gets recognised but not so great when they want someone to blame.
I had such a bad experience working in this company. Promises that were made at the interview stage were not upheld, not even an attempt, management laughed right to my face when I tried to push back and remind them of the promises they made. You will also experience gaslighting - they will tell you that you are being considered for a promotion and then not develop you towards said promotion. Even worse, you will be actively discouraged from seeking promotion - it's not really a fair game, they promote their favourites, promotion is not based on anyone's capabilities. I was also paid below my grade, tried to challenge it and was quickly shut down. People here have massive egos and speak disparagingly and indiscreetly about others, sharing personal details as well as opinions. They definitely don't care about any aspect of your wellbeing either, you are only there to provide revenue for them. You will be diminished working here rather than given the opportunity or support to grow in your career. If you don't reflect and augment the management view, forget any hope of getting on here.
The behaviour of some senior management verges on spiteful and vindictive - it's hard to believe it but even harder to explain it away as anything else.
Obviously if someone needs a job then this review will not put them off but at least they will go in with their eyes open. This is an awful place to work. Don't believe the hype. Just walk away.
The best I can say about my experience working here is that it was a blip. One that I just want to put behind me and not think about any more as I try to undo the damage done to my career, my earning potential and my self esteem.