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A good place to work, until it isn't

Sr Manager Software Engineering
Current Employee
Has worked at Capital One for 6 years
September 22, 2025
McLean, Virginia
3.0
Doesn't RecommendPositive OutlookApproves of CEO
Pros
  • Most of the people I work with regularly are very good, both technically and as people.
  • Very competitive salary and benefits.
  • Generally good hybrid in-office culture. Special days for things like free breakfast, or various events and celebrations.
Cons
  • Stack ranking with forced distributions creates unnecessary competition, and not in a good way. It also depresses associate morale on a larger scale.
  • Many practices are more performative than substantive, in service of the "influence" competency.
  • For a company that claims to be a tech company, they are very stingy on the stock awards compared to other large tech companies.
  • Giving managers and Sr. managers more responsibility without the support or resources to implement.
  • Constant reorgs and rebrandings, often during the same year, so you have no idea which organization you're working for.
Advice to Management

It's usually very obvious if someone is not performing, and managers should have more discretion to decide on a plan of action.

Get rid of the forced distributions; putting people who are slightly less strong than others on a CP or PIP kills morale, not just for that person, but for the entire team.

Additional Ratings

Work/Life Balance
3.0
Culture and Values
3.0
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
5.0
Career Opportunities
3.0
Compensation and Benefits
5.0
Senior Management
3.0

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