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Don't be fooled by the startup veneer

Software Engineer
Former Employee
Worked at Wise for 9 years
December 6, 2023
Tallinn, Estonia
3.0
Doesn't RecommendPositive OutlookApproves of CEO
Pros
  • No uptight corporate bull$#!t.
  • Remote working is welcome.
  • Still growing after over a decade.
Cons
  • They work very hard to pretend they're still a startup.
  • The pay is way below market, even if they insist it's not.
  • Work/life balance is non-existent: they pretend work starts at 9 and ends at 5, but in effect, you're expected to give more.
  • Ageist, non-inclusive tech-bro mentality (lots of inclusivity initiatives, but it's all whitewashing, greenwashing, and pinkwashing).
  • Corporate culture borders on cultish: they have their own language and like to pretend it's a humanitarian mission, not a for-profit multi-billion-dollar corporation.
  • There's no cushion to fall back on: you're only good for them while you're at your prime. As soon as you get sick or hit some personal roadblock, your days are numbered, and nobody will give you the time of day.
  • At the end of the day, they'll exploit you to the bones and spit you out.
Advice to Management

The laid-back culture is abused by middle management to brush off all complaints of mistreatment, discrimination, and mismanagement. The wise of yore are dead, and the corporation growing from its rotten corpse is ugly. There's time to course-correct. Fix it.

Additional Ratings

Work/Life Balance
1.0
Culture and Values
2.0
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
1.0
Career Opportunities
1.0
Compensation and Benefits
3.0
Senior Management
3.0

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