Tesla

Diverse project experience. Exponential growth in experience due to work culture. Power to make decisions early in your career. Stepping stone to your next job.

GFTX is unsafe, and the company does not take ownership of this. You will be forced to work through safety issues to meet production milestones. I have seen the roof collapse. I have seen exhaust fans fall from 75 ft in the air. I have also seen structural beams supporting a 150 metric ton crane dropped by contractors. No amount of PPE will protect you from these events if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Promotion cycles are trash and require a major overhaul. The promotion matrix used by the company is extremely vague, thus allowing upper management to promote who they like. Requirements are also not standardized, so each individual engineer has a different goal line. Also, you need a village's approval to be promoted from P2 to P3 level.

False promises and a revolving door of managers are standard operating procedure here. I had 4 different direct managers in the 2 years I was there. Expect this change to occur every 6 months. You will also need to reprove yourself as an engineer each time.

Project timelines are intense and will require your full capabilities to cross the finish line with a less-than-perfect design. 85% of the work is completed by 15% of the workforce. You will be able to identify these individuals early on.

If you can’t already tell from “real” reviews, the turnover is extremely high at GFTX. There is typically a 10% cut to the workforce every year (I survived 2 of these major layoffs), and I would expect another 30% to leave every 12 months due to the nature of the job. Your team will constantly be rushed in an attempt to balance the remaining workload from those who left.

Nepotism is also an issue at the office, but I will let you figure that out when you get there. The HR department is an absolute failure as well. Their lack of action on subjects speaks volumes, and expect zero help from them while there.

Overall, there is a lack of professionalism and respect toward engineers from upper management and other departments. Ironically, without us, the building, assembly lines, and products would’ve never been designed.

The stock is as volatile as a cryptocurrency and at any moment will rise and fall with Elon’s mood. Do not compromise your engineering ethics to please someone who sees you as another number. And finally, do not give a 2 weeks’ notice, as you will be escorted offsite as soon as the company realizes you have another opportunity.

Fix the culture fast. The current trajectory is unsustainable.