Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments is still considered a good company.

Some good people still left in the company.

Dallas is one of the most affordable cities.

Texas Instruments is not the leading-edge company that it used to be several years ago.

Its main business has become analog, with other areas being cut or closed.

SW is considered secondary, and SW engineers are really not paid at the same level as SW engineers in SW companies.

TI has much the same re-orgs and layoffs every year (sometimes twice a year), more so since Rich Templeton became CEO (this is the only area he excels at).

My advice/survival guide for those SW engineers planning to join TI (assuming TI is your only option) is:

• Become buddies with decision-makers; this will come in handy when layoffs come your way.
• Be political; don't rock the boat (especially if you are right), as you will be the first on the layoff list.
• Don't kill yourself at work; do enough to get the job done and, more importantly, stand out as the problem solver, even if you created the problem.
• Layoffs are inevitable; just be prepared, and you will be okay if you master points 1 and 2 above.
• Stay long enough to get good experience and then find a company where you can build a career (TI is not the place for SW engineers). My advice is to stay 2-3 years, then find something better.

Dallas has very few high-tech companies, hence it will be hard to find something else after layoffs.

I agree with others that TI facilities are "ghetto," where cubicles are 20+ years old, and forget about free coffee or any other common perks available from companies making as much or less money than TI.

Not much, since management at TI does not listen or care about long-term strategy or people.