Dropbox

All engineers here are extremely smart, but what makes Dropbox stand out is the sense of shared ownership and willingness to push the boundaries. I'm also blown away by the caliber of employees outside engineering too, from the legal team to recruiting, to the Tuck Shop.

Employees tend to be direct and vocal about giving constructive criticism, which is a refreshing break from the sugar-coated Silicon Valley culture.

Dropbox has a very solid core product, a rapid pace of development, and some innovative big bets.

Perks are great; the Tuck Shop stands out. Compensation is more than fair and meritocratic.

Some of the big bets didn't pan out, which is sad as they were very innovative. This could be demoralizing to some employees. The company has changed its direction in the last few years, with a few rocky transitions.

Some technical debt can come as a shock to new grads or Xooglers, but it's nothing the eng org doesn't intend to fix.

Keep doing what you're doing. I love our VPs. But focus on articulating company goals and build camaraderie.