Autodesk

Pretty much every product Autodesk markets is a leader in its field. It is nice to work on a product with a high degree of recognition in the marketplace. Autodesk tends to hire very competent, qualified people, which makes interacting with colleagues pleasurable.

There is little respect shown to the engineers who actually create the products that the company depends on. Senior management is obsessed with quarterly financial results, presumably for the sake of their portfolio of options. In the eight years since Autodesk acquired us, it seems we have been almost continually in cost containment mode.

Autodesk has embraced the notion of offshoring, to the extent that we haven't hired developers locally in years. No new blood translates into absolutely no opportunity for career advancement, at least for engineers. Whatever your job title, you can be pretty certain that will be your job title next year. Advancement seems to depend primarily on how well you play politics and not on actual accomplishments or qualifications.

Autodesk provides little or no opportunity for training or personal development.

Recessions do not last forever. Start fixing the systemic problems, or engineers will be walking out the door in droves.