Vantaggi
The engineering team was genuinely talented and collaborative, some of the best people I've worked with. There was a real sense of camaraderie and shared ownership.
Early on, the technical work was stimulating. Challenging problems, modern tooling, and the freedom to architect solutions the right way without being rushed.
The culture used to feel values-driven. Leadership once seemed to genuinely care about doing good work and treating people well.
Svantaggi
Leadership changed, and it changed everything. The new direction was top-down and disconnected from the people actually doing the work.
Favoritism became rampant. Promotions and visibility went to people based on proximity to leadership, not performance or impact. High performers who didn't play politics were quietly sidelined.
Micromanagement crept in slowly, then all at once. Autonomy that was once a selling point evaporated. Engineers were second-guessed on technical decisions they were hired to make.
The culture shift was jarring, values that were once genuine started to feel performative. The company didn't change overnight, which almost made it harder to accept.