General Motors

This was my first job out of college, and for a first job, it was a good one. I got to learn a lot and work with some nice and talented people.

The facility in Chandler is nice and new, and close to plenty of food options nearby. The benefits and yearly bonus are some of the best around.

There were a bunch of unkept promises. They sell you on the fact that moving between teams is an easy option if you get bored or want to try something new. Not so easy. I worked at GM for over four years and spent over two trying to switch teams. The new college hire program could use work too. Many people just get placed on teams and into positions that don’t even align with what they learned in college. You end up with people in developer roles that aren’t developers, and developers that are placed in tester positions, etc.

Place people in positions where their skillset aligns. Instead of just throwing bodies onto teams, take more time up front to place them in positions where they can grow and contribute right away. Also, if you say that you can easily switch around teams, make that apparent, or don’t sell the idea that it is simple when really it is not. It is easy to get pigeonholed if you aren’t careful and looking out for yourself and your own career.