Critical Mass

[Table 5]

Yeah, except I have all the dork, but none of the superpowers.

Wait, I'm not into comics that much, but didn't Peter Parker work at a Newspaper?

Then again, I do work for them too...

[Esoteric]

I've got a friend working there on a co-op term right now. She says its a great place to work, that work is fast-paced and interesting to work, but you do work long hours and the pay isn't great.

Kinda sounds like the first year of articling for a CA....

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Esoteric

I've got a friend working there on a co-op term right now. She says its a great place to work, that work is fast-paced and interesting to work, but you do work long hours and the pay isn't great.

Kinda sounds like the first year of articling for a CA....

Accounting.....fast paced? exciting?

I think you've mistaken yourself

[FurnaceFace]

I'm not sure how much real marketing they do. From what I know they are more design and development shop than marketing/ad agency.

I know of several ex-employees and they all have mentioned long hours and I've also heard the term "sweat shop" used. I don't know if it's still the case, but I've heard there was a sort of assembly line approach to development. On the flip side, they do have a number of high profile accounts and I'm sure as someone starting out it would be a good place to cut your teeth with. Just expect a number of long days.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Sounds like the aviation industry (at least for pilots). You won't do the job for that pay or in those conditions? Fine, there are 100 pilots right behind you ready to take your job.

And private urban planning or urban design, landscape architecture or architecture firms, etc, etc. I work for a really great firm in Toronto, in a really awesome office, the work is pretty awesome - but it pays crap (relatively) and people work ridiculous hours.

[onetwo_threefour]

At least in law if you want to work at an elite firm they pay reasonably well. Too bad if you want a life though....

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Table 5

If you ever want a job there, don't call them a marketing agency.

sorry, Table 5 but what? would you prefer i called them a steaming pile of horse crap?

A marketing agency in an increasingly digital world. Critical Mass helps the world's most admired companies use digital media to create extraordinary experiences. These experiences bring together creative thinking, smart ideas and emerging technologies to express the brand, delight customers and drive results.

-their website

[tvp2003]

My sister has worked at CM for a number of years. Seems happy.

I think they do "interactive marketing" -- not sure what exactly that means but they have done websites for Dell, Nike, and other pretty high end companies.

A note on "working long hours" -- to someone starting out in any industry, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to invest a little extra work/time into your career. If the experience you gain is useful, it'll all come out even in the end (even if that means moving on to a different employer). Yeah, it would be great if the pay matches your hours spent in the office (because many times it doesn't), but we're talking about building a career, not some deadbeat job where the point is to get paid for doing as little work as possible...

[Locke]

I always thought it was funny that the prestige of the firm holds a fiscal benefit in the minds of the employee. They're willing to work harder and for less and be treated poorly because of the firm they work for.

Madness. It completely flies in the face of well established agency theory.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

A marketing agency in an increasingly digital world. Critical Mass helps the world's most admired companies use digital media to create extraordinary experiences. These experiences bring together creative thinking, smart ideas and emerging technologies to express the brand, delight customers and drive results.

Huh, I'm surprised they would call themselves that. The term marketing is often looked down upon in that world. Sort of how interior designers look down on "decorators" or doctors look down on chiropractors.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Locke

I always thought it was funny that the prestige of the firm holds a fiscal benefit in the minds of the employee. They're willing to work harder and for less and be treated poorly because of the firm they work for.

Madness. It completely flies in the face of well established agency theory.

That's why a lot of these places are full of young kids in their 20s...they can handle the crap, have the energy, and dont mind working just for the prestige of it. I think it's healthy to work your ass off for little pay at the beginning....it whips you into shape. All the best people I know worked liked that at first....hardly anybody lands into a comfort cruise right off the bat.

Most people tire of it by their late 20's/early 30s though, and you move on.

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Locke

I always thought it was funny that the prestige of the firm holds a fiscal benefit in the minds of the employee. They're willing to work harder and for less and be treated poorly because of the firm they work for.

Madness. It completely flies in the face of well established agency theory.

If I remember correctly from my corp. governance class we had one slide that showed wages over time. At the start of a career most people are underpaid but by the end you get overpaid to compensate for the increasingly attractive option of retirement and drinking in sunny destinations. Seems to fit.

And yeah you might work your tail off, but at least you're well treated (xbox room, games, beer, etc) and are doing/learning something you love. I think that's what the attraction is for the 20-30 crowd. That said, don't apply because they're terrible to work for. Let me suffer for you!

Table 5, I think sometimes you get website designers and creative folks who have no clue about the marketing theory behind what you are doing. "Internet marketing" is not marketing. Tech guys are especially guilty of this and a cursory glance at digg/techcrunch/engadget/reddit/pick one shows a crucial lack of understanding. That said, tech guys are not marketers and are well paid for other reasons. Similarly, the general public perception that marketing=advertising barely scratches the surface and would be akin to saying that ___=___. The word 'marketing' is really just about understanding your customers. I think Critical Mass gets that. Part of the reason they have clients like Infiniti, Gilette and Rolex -in addition to a million haskayne undergrads trying to get in - is because they're a marketing firm, not just a tech shop.

Tvp2003 - we're agreed on the distinction between careers vs jobs. Also - and this is probably at the risk of the porch+shotgun treatment - do you think there is anyway I could meet your sister for a coffee? Isn't CP great? I swear to God I'm not a creepy Internet stalker

[Esoteric]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Accounting.....fast paced? exciting?

I think you've mistaken yourself

Was definitely referring to long hours and not great pay

[JohnnyB]

I know a person who is most of the way through her second year working in audit at KPMG in Shanghai. Want to talk about long hours for unimpressive pay then that is the place. At least it is if you're Chinese.

During the season from January through to May she is regularly at the office past midnight. Basically every work day that I call her around 9:30 she is still at the office. It's not been uncommon for her to be there until 3 in the morning and then having to be back at the office at 8:30 the next morning. On top of that she also often has to go in on weekends to get work done, both Saturday and Sunday.

Lots of people from her department resign, but there are always new people who want to take the job. Since the financial crisis they have been able to hire people with masters in the field to entry level jobs paying a lower salary than they were 10 years ago.

The yearly salary for this kind of work at a top four firm in Shanghai? Around $8,000 Canadian.

[K1LLswitch]

Originally Posted by Esoteric

I've got a friend working there on a co-op term right now. She says its a great place to work, that work is fast-paced and interesting to work, but you do work long hours and the pay isn't great.

Kinda sounds like the first year of articling for a CA....

And your 2nd year.....and your 3rd year, though the pay is better by then.

[K1LLswitch]

Originally Posted by Locke

I always thought it was funny that the prestige of the firm holds a fiscal benefit in the minds of the employee. They're willing to work harder and for less and be treated poorly because of the firm they work for.

Madness. It completely flies in the face of well established agency theory.

It looks good on a resume?

[Shazam]

Why the hell would you want to work there??? They did the total POS Dell site - quite possibly the worst major e-comm site on the interwebs.

I can only imagine the amount of buck-passing, bs'ing, working with people that know nothing about IT and the inevitable three people that worked 120 hour weeks to get that thing online.

[amorak]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Why the hell would you want to work there??? They did the total POS Dell site - quite possibly the worst major e-comm site on the interwebs.

I can only imagine the amount of buck-passing, bs'ing, working with people that know nothing about IT and the inevitable three people that worked 120 hour weeks to get that thing online.

+1 - Dell's ecommerce site is terrible... if these guys designed it....

[Iceman90]

I work full time as a web developer for a small marketing agency in Calgary.

I know a lot of guys who have worked for Critical Mass, and have said it's a great place to be if you want really great names to put on your resume (Dell, Rolex, etc) but as far as work environment and corporate culture, it sucks.

Don't get me wrong, in this business, you will long hours and stressful projects.

If you are wanting to get into the interactive/digital side of things (web, POS, digital signage, etc) then I'd suggest checking out Rare Method.

If you want to get into the marketing, branding and strategic areas of things, check out some of the smaller agencies like Mosaic Studios, Twist Marketing, Creative Intelligence, WAX, etc.

Feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about the industry.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Why the hell would you want to work there??? They did the total POS Dell site - quite possibly the worst major e-comm site on the interwebs.

I can only imagine the amount of buck-passing, bs'ing, working with people that know nothing about IT and the inevitable three people that worked 120 hour weeks to get that thing online.

Close. They inherited a POS site, fixed it, then had it taken from them.

They win awards all the time for they work they do. Nobody is perfect but they are very good.

Great experince, long hours, lots of competition for promotion and pay is probably low for the junior end of the scale.