Databricks

I won't say anything surprising here:

• The tech is great. I love building things with Databricks.
• I believe in the executive leadership's vision.
• The company is successful. I think my equity is worth something.

I would write more about the pros here, but others have said most of what I could say.

Small cons first:

• No 401K matching.
• Our infrastructure policies are weird and delete things you create after a few weeks. So you end up in a situation where that app/pipeline/ML model/agent you made doesn't work just in time for a demo sometimes.

These aren't a big deal. What is a big deal is that there is not a small chance you will run into a toxic work environment as an SA.

• In my less than 1 year tenure here, I've heard of multiple instances where other Solutions Architects were fired because they upset sales leadership. My AE was also fired for upsetting sales leadership.
• We conduct anonymous culture surveys every six months. On a group call, a sales manager reviewed the feedback someone had written about her and attempted to identify the author of the feedback. It was uncomfortable.
• I don't have the time to go into all of the insanity with Salesforce rules and reporting, or the scorecard sales execs have, or the many internal calls related to the two. I can only say no rational human will enjoy it.

Executives: A significant portion of your workforce operates in an environment that is highly challenging to navigate. I don't know how to fix a culture, but I recommend you start looking into it, specifically in strategic accounts.

Field engineering leadership: My impression is that you guys are good and capable people all the way up the chain. Tough love here: You need to have a spine. The initiatives pushed by sales leadership make your employees less effective at their jobs.

Sales engineering leadership: I get that your mandate is "grow, grow, grow." I sympathize with the position. I also think most of you are the source of the problem. Maybe leave? Just an idea.