Intel

Some brilliant people you could work with.

"Intel IT is the heart of Intel," is what Intel management said today at the IT Connect event. However, IT folks often receive the least salaries (perhaps not the managers).

The cons below might not apply to those in Silicon Tech, but they are true for Intel IT.

Mediocre performance is encouraged. They don't need sharp people from a CS background; they need someone to "LEAD" or "BOSS AROUND" outsourced staff.

Managers might tell you everything is great during the final appraisal meeting, but the hike letter says otherwise. Don't join Intel IT and waste your time. Intel doesn't trust its employees when it comes to development projects (the only reason RSUs are awarded). They simply want to outsource everything and push you into maintaining projects. Later, they'll claim the vendor messed up significantly in terms of design/quality and then impose fixing the bugs they created onto you.

I came across the "faceintel" website on the day I received my pay letter and could relate to the current work environment and HR practices (misguided salary structure).

Advice to freshers (RCGs): You might get a big brand name and good training opportunities, but getting hands-on experience with a real development project is far from reality at Intel. I suggest you start working in a startup or service industry and join Intel when you have enough technical acumen to simply "BOSS AROUND."

Vendors are given opportunities so quickly. Please consider their design skills rather than pushing them to deliver something quick. You can definitely trust your own employees over the vendors.

Act quicker. People will leave while you are still planning.

Rewarding mediocre performance is the worst thing an organization can do to a performing employee.

Please take the IT survey after the appraisal cycle.

It doesn't matter if you work 18 hours a day; there isn't a policy for overtime. The same goes for the leave encashment policy, as it doesn't exist. Stop thinking of employee welfare only when you can save some bucks.

Fact: The bonuses aren't bonuses if they are part of the CTC.