Applied Intuition

Applied goes off a lot by its elitism, having managed to get employees with good credentials and backgrounds. This elitism helps in customer sales and demos, and the business is doing okay.

Applied runs more as a sales company than a product or engineering company, and it shows in the constant rushing of engineering before other employees have to cover up the tech debt.

Stock growth and business is good, but not anything better compared to other high-growth startups or even big tech companies after dilution.

There are quite a few managers who lack emotional intelligence and empathy and just shouldn't be managers, but remain because they've been at the company for far too long and got themselves into a position where they cannot be easily replaced.

If you are an immigrant on a visa or have to go through the green card process, avoid this company. They use the process as leverage against you. PERM is only initiated one year after you join (unless you clearly negotiate this) and is up to the whims of your manager to decide whether to initiate this. You have to pay for your own premium processing as well. It is a constant air of uncertainty and fear that the company can leverage against you at any time, in a company with little psychological safety.

Management and leadership routinely dismisses feedback and concerns from employees, and turnover as not a good culture fit and simply does not have the empathy to understand.

After the Series E, it's simply not worth it to join with how expensive the stock is to exercise. If you can already pass the interview process here, you can get far better options elsewhere.