Guidewire

Nice people and a nice place to work.

Lots of discussions around the best ways to do things, and everyone's opinion matters. It's a relaxing work environment most of the time.

Pay is not competitive.

Shares are said to make the pay equal to other companies, but with extra taxes, the black-out periods when you can't sell them, and vesting times, they are really frustrating and not worth much in the end.

It's widely said in the office that a higher base pay instead of shares would be preferable.

Stop saying the pay is competitive when a quick Google search can prove that wrong. It just causes more useless frustration.

Also, most people have friends from college that graduated at the same time and have the same experience, and are getting paid more with companies nearby, for example, IBM.

Simply saying the pay is competitive doesn't fool anyone.