Process
As an experienced professional of color, I am accustomed to tech companies seeking to hire me to fulfill a diversity quota. My conversation with Square, however, took this to a new level.
Both the recruiter and hiring manager began discussing their commitment to diversity on their teams before I had even asked about it and before we had discussed the job I was interviewing for.
Was the implication that, because I am "diversity," that is all I get to learn about? What about the business itself? What about my qualifications?
This was especially strange because, when I researched the team, I found zero people of color, which suggests this is purely lip service.
Questions
What do you know about Square?
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 4 interview experiences for the Block Engineer role in United States.
Success Rate
0%
Pass Rate
Block's interview process for their Engineer roles in the United States is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Positive0%
Neutral0%
Negative100%
Candidates reported having very negative feelings for Block's Engineer interview process in United States.
Block Work Experiences
1.0
This is no longer a culture that values its people
Engineer • Former Employee
January 27, 2024
Pros: Still has decent collaboration between employees, though that is declining.
Cons: Negative turn for the company culture.
It's easy to "do the right thing" and be magnanimous when things are going well. The true test of character (for both people and companies) is when things get difficult.
Block talks a big game about economic empowerment and valuing its people. But their 2023 layoffs demonstrate that their rhetoric has become threadbare. When they are done with you, they don’t hesitate to discard you with little to show for it.
Layoffs are a fact of life. But decent companies treat their people decently, even when those people are on the way out.
Yes, the odds of you getting laid off are slim. But Block’s recent stingy exit packages are not consistent with their past. It is indicative of a cultural shift away from valuing people.
Here is a table of the relative size of exit packages compared to the company’s size (a measure of the depth of their finances). The data are normalized so Block = 100%:
* Block, Market cap = 100%, Exit package = 100%
* Stripe, Market cap = 125%, Exit package = 375%
* DoorDash, Market cap = 63%, Exit package = 288%
* Plaid, Market cap = 34%, Exit package = 325%
* Lyft, Market cap = 10%, Exit package = 325%
* Coursera, Market cap = 5%, Exit package = 341%
“Exit package” includes the notification period (period where you are no longer working but still on the payroll), any stock vested or bonus paid after notification of layoff, and severance.
Naturally, Block’s package also pales in comparison to those of larger companies. Salesforce's severance was 6x Block's, Alphabet's was more than 4x, and Meta's was 3.5x Block's exit package.
5.0
Autonomy With Leadership Issues
Engineer • Current Employee
New York, New York, United States
December 4, 2023
Pros: - Bottoms-up culture
- High autonomy
- Talented engineers
Cons: - Leadership challenges
- Low stock prices
2.0
Redundant Work, Top-down
Engineer • Former Employee
San Francisco, California, United States
November 8, 2023
Pros: No pros in my mind, no impactful work.
Cons: Top-down management, redundant and random, from a non-engineer all the time.
- 1.0This is no longer a culture that values its peopleEngineer • Former EmployeeJanuary 27, 2024Pros: Still has decent collaboration between employees, though that is declining.Cons: Negative turn for the company culture. It's easy to "do the right thing" and be magnanimous when things are going well. The true test of character (for both people and companies) is when things get difficult. Block talks a big game about economic empowerment and valuing its people. But their 2023 layoffs demonstrate that their rhetoric has become threadbare. When they are done with you, they don’t hesitate to discard you with little to show for it. Layoffs are a fact of life. But decent companies treat their people decently, even when those people are on the way out. Yes, the odds of you getting laid off are slim. But Block’s recent stingy exit packages are not consistent with their past. It is indicative of a cultural shift away from valuing people. Here is a table of the relative size of exit packages compared to the company’s size (a measure of the depth of their finances). The data are normalized so Block = 100%: * Block, Market cap = 100%, Exit package = 100% * Stripe, Market cap = 125%, Exit package = 375% * DoorDash, Market cap = 63%, Exit package = 288% * Plaid, Market cap = 34%, Exit package = 325% * Lyft, Market cap = 10%, Exit package = 325% * Coursera, Market cap = 5%, Exit package = 341% “Exit package” includes the notification period (period where you are no longer working but still on the payroll), any stock vested or bonus paid after notification of layoff, and severance. Naturally, Block’s package also pales in comparison to those of larger companies. Salesforce's severance was 6x Block's, Alphabet's was more than 4x, and Meta's was 3.5x Block's exit package.
- 5.0Autonomy With Leadership IssuesEngineer • Current EmployeeNew York, New York, United StatesDecember 4, 2023Pros: - Bottoms-up culture - High autonomy - Talented engineersCons: - Leadership challenges - Low stock prices
- 2.0Redundant Work, Top-downEngineer • Former EmployeeSan Francisco, California, United StatesNovember 8, 2023Pros: No pros in my mind, no impactful work.Cons: Top-down management, redundant and random, from a non-engineer all the time.
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