Pros
Most teams have good flexibility (geography, work hours, etc.), and are professional and enjoyable to work with.
Kontras
Engineering has become a battleground of (unearned) confidence over competence, driven by a near-complete overhaul under the new SVP of Engineering. What emerged is a hypercompetitive subculture that values aggressive individualism, where collaboration is barred and morale is perpetually undermined. Veteran contributors are edged out in favor of newcomers whose assertiveness outpaces their proficiency, fostering an environment of mistrust and transactional interactions. This cutthroat ethos has bred arrogance and siloed thinking—team members hunker down in insular cliques, hoarding knowledge rather than sharing it, and technical decisions are too often dictated by bravado instead of expertise.
That insularity extends well beyond the department’s walls, creating an artificial chasm between engineering and the rest of the company. The group favors its own arbitrarily selected software such as the messaging system, and in-person meetings, leaving the main body of the company’s distributed workforce disconnected and disregarded. When cross-functional projects arise, key stakeholders are sidelined as engineering management routinely minimizes the perspectives of key stakeholders and experienced SMEs. The result is a breakdown in alignment, stalled initiatives, and rampant turnover—those who push for genuine collaboration quickly find themselves marginalized or encouraged to leave. In its current state, the department undermines rather than supports the organization’s broader goals; I cannot recommend joining under these conditions.
