Overworked and underpaid - Avis employé Employé (anonyme) Bondsmith

The culture at Bondsmith is genuinely one of the best things about the company. I made real friends I spend weekends with, not just colleagues to go for a drink with on a Friday evening after work. There's a real sense of camaraderie and community that is difficult to find anywhere else. I had a fantastic manager who struck a great balance of giving me the trust and autonomy to get on with my work, while also being there to check in and guide me when needed. I never felt micro-managed. You get a lot of responsibility, and it's difficult to find somewhere where you can get this kind of ownership early on. If you're someone who wants to solve problems and actually build processes rather than just slot into an existing machine, you'll thrive here.

Being a younger company, resourcing can be tight at times, so sometimes you need to be ready to roll up your sleeves when things get busy. This is rare, though. The flipside of getting lots of responsibility is that you sometimes need to learn by doing. There isn't always a well-trodden path ahead of you, so being confident enough to make one yourself is essential. For some people, this is exciting, but for others it may feel like getting thrown in the deep end.

Engineering is the bulk of the company and is heavily respected. Lots of extremely passionate high-skill engineers making it a great learning environment. Leadership are understanding to their loyal employees and internal promotions are historically commonplace. Colleagues are always open to help you where possible, teamwork is on clear display throughout engineering and operations. Welcoming and friendly community with many opportunities to socialise outside of work. Relaxed atmosphere with no firm dress-code. Most employees actually care about the product and are excited to be part of Bondsmith's success. There are many opportunities to make your mark and effort is recognised by your peers.

Steep learning curve, if you aren't a proactive learner and require hand holding your early days can be difficult. In-turn this heavily rewards individualistic and go-getter employees. Being a fast-paced fintech you operate with levels of risk uncomfortable to some. "Crunch time" exists, but it is exceedingly rare and relative to your personal risk-appetite. I have never been pressured or expected to work extended periods of time.