Pays roughly 30k below average for same jobs at other firms - Associate DRT Strategies Employee Review

1.0
23 Jul 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Plenty of PTO and ability to front-load hours on certain projects. Women owned and run.

Cons

Low pay- my friends at other firms doing the exact same job are making nearly twice as much starting out. We have the exact same experience and were all hired in the same 6 months. Salary was also non-negotiable and I was told if I wanted to negotiate they’d give the job to someone else. Management is one giant clique that only cares about themselves. My manager often took credit for my work and the work of others on my team to advance themself. I was also frequently asked to work 80 hours a week and only allowed to bill 40 hours per week. I was asked to work late at night or on vacation then reprimand for it and told I “wasn’t on that level yet”. Which just implies to me, the more I advanced with the company, the less respect for work life balance they provide. The annual review process is set up to prevent promotions and keep them from having to give raises. The two years I worked there, I wasn’t even provided a cost of living adjustment, even though individual living expenses in DC averaged over half my monthly salary (with multiple roommates!). You’re also not eligible for any raises or promotions until your second review cycle if you’re hired after May. So if you’re coming right out of college, you’ll be there for almost two years before you can get a raise or promotion, since the review cycle is February-April. No financial assistance was provided during the 5 week government shut down and in order to get paid you were expected to use your PTO, if you had none you had to take leave without pay.

Explore other reviews about DRT Strategies

5.0
11 Jun 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Supporting government clients with strategy, process improvement, and project delivery - Good training, plus experienced colleagues are happy to answer questions and give advice - Opportunity to develop a broad and strong skill set - Competitive pay and excellent benefits (including generous PTO and retirement plan)

Cons

Not easy to deliver on time (even impossible on occasion) when a client keeps changing project parameters.

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DRT Strategies Response
2d
Thank you so much for your review. We love to hear from current employees and appreciate your dedication and service to the company and our clients. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your manager or Human Resources if you ever need anything!
1.0
24 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

With how toxic and hostile the work culture is toward regular employees, there are none at all.

Cons

Working for DRT Strategies felt like a nightmare from start to finish. The company shows clear disregard for employees, treating people as disposable resources meant to be used and discarded without care. Employees are burdened with unrealistic expectations, repeatedly set up to fail, and then blamed for every issue regardless of circumstance.

1
avatar
DRT Strategies Response
2d
Thank you for your review. DRT strives to create a positive environment for all of our employees, and we are sorry to hear that was not your experience. We believe in transparency and open communication and would have welcomed a conversation to address any concerns while you were employed.  We wish you the best in your future professional endeavors.
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