CrowdStrike

Pay was competitive in my case. Exposure to current technologies. Large software infrastructure.

I was terminated via what I believe to be a "backdoor layoff". During my time, I observed the attrition rate is enormous and ongoing. Over 5,000 employees with an average tenure of 1.5 years, according to LinkedIn data. What I witnessed was multiple very good engineers and low-level managers disappearing without an opportunity to say goodbye, and management that would sometimes not announce the departure, or when they did, would rarely be willing to discuss the rationale.

If you are applying for a remote job, ask about the Return to Work policy. The CEO recently stated remote workers are less productive, but many employees don't have an office to go to.

Confirm all benefits, perks, and cultural virtues listed in the job description, as well as all answers given by the recruiter and hiring manager, are also listed in a copy of the employee handbook before signing on. I was disappointed by several surprise requirements after obtaining a verbal agreement during the interview process.

Maintain boundaries with your boss and schedule frequent use of the Unlimited Time Off benefit. Middle management in my department would frequently overwork staff, and burnout is still a huge problem.

Be good at reverse-engineering, making your own documentation, and conducting interrogations. There are a lot of technical problems, but it's not a healthy, positive work environment where everyone plays fair. Engineers are forced to cut a lot of corners to meet high-pressure deadlines.

Disregard the anonymous 360 feedback system and conduct your own reviews with peers 1:1. The system provided is abused by middle management as the primary medium for gaslighting, since you don't know exactly who, what, when, or whether it was resolved. A biased manager can easily twist the review without external oversight, so keep them honest.

Keep detailed notes of any praise you receive because you'll need it to defend yourself later. Before you quit, file a complaint to HR. It won't help you, but maybe it will help someone in the future.

Read the negative Glassdoor reviews very carefully. Look for recurring themes and ask about them during your interview.

Provide a positive, healthy work environment, and you'll spend less money and time onboarding and playing catch-up with competitors.