JobGrades

As an ex kool-aid drinker (and there are A LOT of us), I have moved on to coffee. It tastes better and the Starbucks crew on the corner will laugh when you ask them how many people have been fired by the company. If you spent 4 years in school and take a job there... you get an "F" (and a swift kick in a$$)

Only thing good about SMS or now FanBox is the location right in the heart of the Gaslamp. Other than that I would highly recommend not taking a job there, they go through layoffs every three months and the hours you're expected to work are ridiculous.

When I started, I was working roughly 12 hours a day or 60 hours a week. One month I worked there I was pulling 80 - 100 hours per week. I slept at the office 3 or 4 times and worked two days non-stop without sleeping a couple of times. It was during that month that a lot of people quit. After that month, things cooled off and went back to 60 hour weeks. Management will use fear of termination to get you to either work the crazy hours or quit.

That being said, this is a great job for entry level workers who are having a hard time getting work experience. I have never learned so much in such a short amount of time. I also never knew I could withstand so much pressure. You will work with a lot of really fun and talented people. The location is sweet too: Downtown San Diego Gaslamp, can't beat that! We had catered lunch and dinners every day. Their health benefits were even better than my current employer's benefits. On Fridays at the end of the day we'd get together and have beers and play games in the office. They also held fun off-site events about once a month; the best one was a scavenger hunt done all over Downtown San Diego.

If you are up to the challenge of working for them, I have the following tips. First, they'll try to low ball you with the pay. Don't be afraid to negotiate your salary to something at least average for San Diego; there are plenty of websites out there to find out what that is for your position. If they offer you a bonus, try to waive the bonus in exchange for more pay. Chances are you won't get the bonus until after several months and rarely does anyone actually get that far. If you have years of experience in your field, then you should negotiate a salary knowing that you'll be working 60 to 80 hours a week.
Second, they'll try to get you to start at the bottom. If this would be a step back for you, negotiate a position that is at least at the current level you are working at.

Sure, the hours suck, but by having this job on my resume I was able to get an even better job at another company later on.

SMS.ac is only for the super driven. If you want a job where all you are trying to do is earn a pay check you should look somewhere else. If you are interested in growing technically and personally at a super fast rate (which does often come at the cost of sleep) then this is definitely the place for you.