During my time at Dell, it never felt quite right. I am curious if the story they told about the constant reorg-ing is true? Every couple of months my role changed or I got a new manager (or both). In fact the first day I started I discovered my boss would be somebody totally different than from who I interviewed with. Do all companies in the tech industry operate this way? Truthfully I didn’t like it, not sure if I want to stay in this industry if it’s like that everywhere. It creates chaos and instability IMO
8 replies (most recent on top)
6 1/2 years at EMC, One Manager...
2 1/2 years at Dell/EMC Ten Managers...
Even though I didn't see it coming or like how they did it, I won't miss the chaos.
I hear you. It is tiresome now. I would have gone long ago except the jobs market locally isn't great at the moment. I hate seeing colleagues leaving and though I am working on some pretty cool stuff, being asked to pick up the slack from people who have left is unsustainable. A blocked calendar means nothing any longer.
I was on the legacy EMC side. I have to say it depends. If your manager is a fair and reasonable guy, you will be fine as long as you get your work done. However, the whole thing changed dramatically since Dell took over. Nearly every Wednesday in the middle of the month there are people let go. The manager put your name on the let-go list and after three months, it is your turn. This is a very poisonous thing to do. Not sure why Mr. Dell let this happen, but I lost respect to him forever.
Over two years I have been to three teams and reporting to five managers.
I've been through at least 3 managers during my 2 years with Dell. Usually I don't go through that but now it is. I think the tech industry can be a b–chaotic in terms of operations and management. I'm not sure if I want to stay in the tech industry for my entire career. What I learned from is that job security is not gauranteed. Sometimes I keep thinking to myself is my job safe today or will I get let go tommorow? From what I see there is no transparency from the uppers on how business should run.
Dell is a great company that I envision to be with but it's not what I pictured.
It is an extraordinary company, the ethic of the org is great and it's pretty much down to the manager you get whether that is followed through or not. The challenge comes when they install a manager who isn't living by that ethic and that takes a long time to come through in reports,
The gap has been customer contact. Once a manager hits that level they are purposely several steps removed from the customer and tied up with spreadsheets and reporting all day. The only customer contact comes at the time of a carefully orchestrated exec visit. There is almost zero customer intimacy, top 20 exec visits and leadership discussions. it's a massive reporting cog in a reporting up wheel. They manage up and protect the teams from relentless reporting demands however this loses them any customer contact.
If we changed one thing, it would be empowering the exec to form close bonds with the top levels of customers and to make decisions on the business behalf that would cut through the minutia of transactions.
I am with Accenture - its very similar
I had 18 different managers at dell, some good, some bad. There is nothing fair at dell. Whether its promotions,raises, transferring, or whatever you want to think of. I dont know if all companies are like that or not. I want to go to a different line of work. Im really bummed out to wake up everydau and wonder is this the day i'm fired or my job goes to india.