Ivie

I would have to agree with Stina. As a longtime former employee who has worked in a multitude of positions in the company, I can say from first-hand experience that Ivie & Associates is the worst company I have ever worked for. I also wondered why they were voted one of the Best Places to Work in Dallas - the internal surveys the employees did were mainly negative in nature. You want a high paying job? Go somewhere else. You want your opinions to matter? Go somewhere else. You actually want some real-world advertising agency experience? Definitely go someplace else. Ivie touts itself as some kind of world leader in Advertising, but from the 7 years I spent there, the best advertising they ever got was from kissing their biggest clients rear ends to keep the company from going under. I work at one of the best Advertising agencies in the world, and the place I work for is a world leader in Advertising with clients ranging from Nike, Reebok, and world class airlines among other things. After 7 years of hard work of moving myself up the chain from the bottom to one of the most powerful single employees who did the most work, I consistently was told that my performance was great, but we can only give you a 1.5% raise this year because we aren't making as much. Hmm, thats interesting because you just put out a statement saying you made $400 million in profits last year. Where did all that money go you might ask yourself; into the pockets of the former owners son, thats where. I understand that a family company is passed from father to son, but not to someone who is incompetent. This man took over from his father, and as soon as he did, the company took a major nose dive into where it is now. We went from halfway decent hours and bonuses to no bonuses, no christmas parties at work or christmas bonuses, to working major overtime for no pay increases. I personally threw my 'raise' back in their face 3 times because it was so measly, I could buy 3 6-packs of beer at the end of the week. Wow, what a raise. Let me get down on my hands and knees and kiss the very ground you walk on for that immense raise. I applied for a Manager position but was shot down every time because they thought it wasn't important enough to give it to me. So after asking, begging, pleading, I said screw it - I resign. I resigned, and from what I've been told by friends that still work there, it hasn't gotten any better. Production and Pre-Press is run by a micro-managing boss that can't seem to crack a smile unless she's gloating about something or lording it over you. Her boss, the 'Director' is such a waste of space that he hides in his office all day long and doesn't bother to come out and talk to anyone most of the time. Upper management is mostly a joke, as well as all the Directors and VPs. And don't bother to even try to talk to HR because the HR people spill your business to your managers and directors behind your back. Wheres the confidentiality there? Most of the people that work at Ivie are good hardworking people that need a paycheck to survive. And if survival is your method of madness, then Ivie is the place for you. But if you want a real job with a say in how things are done, please, PLEASE go somewhere else and save yourself the hassle.