I worked at BV for several years. Their entire telecom division is a mismanaged disaster, that is always a few steps away from falling off of a cliff. Water is a slowly sinking ship. And only their Energy group seems to have their heads screwed on relatively straight, for the moment. If you want to make it in this company, you'll have to move to their Overland Park headquarters. Every other office is nothing more than a satellite, and treated as an underling to the big dog HQ, even though all the smaller regional offices are the ones bringing in all the money. Experience, knowledge, qualifications, solid ethics, and a strong work ethic will get you nowhere in this company. It's entirely cut throat, and everything depends entirely on who you know, who you throw under the bus when it suits, and who's backside you kiss the most often. If you excel at your job, but certain duplicitous managers decide they don't like your honesty (instead of lying to their clients all the time) or unwillingness to play their political games, you'll eventually be shown the door. Management and leadership at nearly every level is incapable or unwilling to make changes, as the company continues down the same path, regardless of whether it's working or not. And their HR group only exists to protect the company, rather than working to help their employees - in other words, don't ever expect HR to work on your behalf. ONLY work at this company if you have no other options, or if you're young and looking to gain some experience with a relatively well known firm. Otherwise run away as fast as you can. B&V unfortunately has very little to offer apart from a paycheck, along with plenty of headaches and heartache.
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My experience while working with Black and Veatch satellite office ( Out of USA) confirms your post. People manage their career here including promotions, intra transfer, opportunity by networking and other ways as explained above. If you are honest, simple, knowledgeable, hard working professional but having no instinct to kiss the backside of authority, this is not the place to be.
Your post is bang on the target. Specially your observation "Experience, knowledge, qualifications, solid ethics, and a strong work ethic will get you nowhere in this company."