Vantaggi
The codebase had interesting problems to solve and a handful of teammates genuinely tried to do the right thing when given the space. I learned some new internal tools because I was often left to figure things out on my own, and that independence did let me grow technically in spite of everything else.
Svantaggi
The biggest issue I had was the sexist and discriminatory work environment. As a woman in a male-dominated field, I already felt like I was at a disadvantage.
But it wasn't just the lack of female representation that made me feel unwelcome - it was the constant jokes, comments, and behaviors that made it clear that I wasn't valued or respected. I was often interrupted or talked over in meetings, and my ideas were dismissed or attributed to my male colleagues. It was like I was invisible. When I pointed out bugs or offered alternative designs, responses ranged from patronizing chuckles to being explicitly told “you’re too emotional about this” in front of the team. Performance feedback for me focused on tone and how I presented myself, while equivalent mistakes by male peers were framed as “minor oversights” or “sloppy planning.”
The company's leadership seemed to turn a blind eye to these issues, and it was clear that they weren't interested in making any real changes.