Mechanical Engineer • Current Employee
Pros: Capgemini is a place where you can start your career because the filters are not the strictest; I've seen CVs that make me wonder how they got so far.
Depending on the client assigned to you, or if you entered Capgemini at the request of a certain company that is cutting staff and rehiring through outsourcing (it's public knowledge which one), you might have the advantage of remote work.
Capgemini is one of the few "consultancies" that offers you major medical expenses and life insurance. They also provide grocery vouchers (although the percentage is lower compared to other companies) and restaurant vouchers.
One advantage I see is that in case of downtime or the end of an assigned project, you are assigned to the bench until you have a new one, with no impact on your employment status.
They have a good training offer; they give you access to Udemy and some courses like Six Sigma or those required to take the PMI exam. You can benefit from growing your CV without spending a single peso from your own pocket.
Cons: The main point of disadvantage is compensation; salaries are low, and they hire a lot of recent graduates or junior staff to justify the offer. They do not provide bonuses and overtime is generally not allowed.
The company directly gives ONLY the minimums required by law in the most important benefits, such as the Christmas bonus, of which they only give 15 days; the vacation premium, they only give 25%; and they do not give a savings fund (supposedly only to senior managers).
They argue that they do not distribute profits because they are always in the red, and the supposed assistance they provide for remote work is through an application that limits its use and, furthermore, charges very high commissions.
I am almost certain that this is for tax deduction purposes, as many companies provide such support through payroll.
Regarding growth opportunities, at least in the business unit that serves the automotive industry, I don't think they are competitive at all.
I provide services to a certain Detroit company now based in Europe, and in reality, Capgemini is only interested in charging for consulting.
The first year you are not entitled to request vacation, and likewise, you only have 3 days of "sick leave" if you need them.
They operate a lot under time-for-time schemes.
Depending on the manager assigned to you, the support you might have for your professional development can vary; in the best/worst case scenario, they only micromanage you to report your hours and complete your mandatory courses.
Business travel is a nightmare, as the budget for such expenses is limited, and it's quite a show to request reimbursements and approvals.
Performance evaluations are based on "priorities," of which at least 50% are absurd.
They impose themes of Artificial Intelligence and sustainability, as well as community participation and "added value" through volunteering, teaching courses, or generating technical infrastructure.
All of this is a waste of time and resources that you surely need to allocate to the client.
A 360 survey is sent to the manager by the client and a random colleague, so your performance indicator can be affected if one of the parties evaluates you poorly, even if it's not an honest evaluation.
Regarding the organizational structure, there is little interaction beyond contact with the engagement manager.
Executives are not visible.
The little contact I've had with human resources has not been the best; I believe there is a lack of engagement and a spirit of follow-up and employee support.