Started in September 2020 in a business analyst role. I have not done anything beyond producing reports. My supervisor does not communicate expectations. I do not know what my other team members do. I heard some of these rotations can be either really good or really bad. I am now applying to other companies since I would rather learn skills instead of create KPI dashboards to track work being done by other areas of the company. How can somebody early in their career be so complacent? Other FCGs rave about the high 75k salary (which is actually good for a recent grad). Although I cannot see how somebody in my position would become more valuable to Ford or another company.
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God everyone is so bitter. Talk to your FCG advisor, and if you don’t have one go get one by talking to FCG mgt. This is what they’re here for. Contrary to all the negative people here there are areas in the company doing a lot of good work, mostly in the new spaces where actual software dev is done (FordLabs, AV, EV, Connectivity).
Also I’d recommend not visiting this site super often, as the toxicity of all the SRD’d people or late-in-life people that never change is really bad for your mental health. I try to limit myself to once a month to get a laugh.
Being able to transcend past the lazy people and make something of yourself is corporate 101. If you have nothing to do get engaged with the FCG program. Take the initiative to be better, help others and always be learning (there’s classes available through LinkedIn for IT), you’ll be better for it.
@2gee+194kxyRU clearly has not been in the job market recently. Also, it has been forever that prospective employers want to see someone squatting on a job doing relatively nothing regardless of being in an FCG type role. That just screams lazy oxygen s—ered, and who would want to hire someone like that. Tell me what cutting edge employers are going to snap up someone that spent 2 years running meetings and creating dashboards just because they ran the clock. NOPE. They're going to hire a someone contributing and moving the needle every time.
@2gee+194kxyRU old school logic. It is quite common for IT professional to change jobs often until they find a good fit. Most good companies will understand and appreciate an employee who actually wants to do work and learn and grow - instead of just collect a paycheck.
Two years is a long time in IT terms to have nothing to show for your time. The IT landscape changes rapidly. In two years the FCG could be stuck at Ford, which of course is what Ford HR is hoping for.
To the naysayers... first of all, you won't get a job just having Ford in your resume, but it sure beats a small unknown company. Remember this is an FCG, so this is probably his/her first and only job so far. If this person switches jobs now, it will look as a job hopper, or worse, that Ford let him/her go for some "issues". In this economy, only big companies are surviving: the small ones have been devastated and medium sized are struggling. If this person switches jobs now and few months down the road losses the "new" position, the resume will look awful and there is going to be a lot of explaining in the interviews.
However, staying for around 2 years should show this person can hold a position and give him/her enough time to hone some skills in their own time. Also, and hopefully, in a couple of years the economy will back on track, making it easier to find and keep another job. Also getting the "big bucks" should help to build a fund for rainy days and paying the bills, therefore improving the credit history (which sometimes is needed to get a job). So, all in all, it is a very safe advice, with low risk and high reward.
Of course, at the end, is the FCG's decision and whatever he/she does, I wish him/her the best luck.
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Resumes are all about content, not how it "looks". Simply having the name "Ford" on your resume means very little, if all you did was go to meetings, make status reports and PowerPoint slides. "Looking good" is for models.
Not so sure about the “looks good on your resume”. I know that those Ford IT experience resumes get shuffled to the bottom of the deck at several metro Detroit companies. The reason being that past experience has shown that Ford employees have very narrow and shallow skill sets.
Best to look for another job, resign when you get one.
Run!? Maybe. It is a good advice in regular times, but these are not good times for so many companies. Working at Ford has 2 perks: It looks good in the resume and it pays well.
My advice? Stay for 1 more year, but no more than 2 years. Save money, pay your student debt, make new connections, learn new skills on your own time, see how Ford does things so you know what not to do in other companies...
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RUN! Even if you have to take a pay cut. I stayed in a trap too long and even though I have a EE Degree, I am now unemployable. RUN. Going to meetings all day, writing status reports and PowerPoint stuff is good if you plan on retiring in a few years. If you stay too long the constant re-orgs will catch up to you and you will find yourself being cut will no skill sets. The smaller suppliers have good opportunities for building skill sets. Don't make the same mistake I did, RUN.
Welcome to the 'Ford Way'. Lure people in with a higher start pay, puff their ego up with lies, then drop them into the useless system which is Ford. Count your blessings you quickly figured out you are in a trap. Most don't because they get caught up in believing the lies management uses to keep their hooks in you until you are so de-skilled it is difficult to leave. Lies and promises of an exciting project or position in the future that never happens or pays out. Word to the wise.....RUN!!! Get out as fast as you can on good terms. Great excuses, be near parents/ ailing relatives. Spouse job opportunities .....allergies (lol). Use your higher pay level to negotiate a better salary in another company. Believe me, you will not regret it.
Here is the sad truth 75% of the FCG supervisors (LL6) don’t give two figs about the FCG. They only created the FCG position to get kudos from their LL5+ for developing new hires (this is on the LL6 performance review and the LL5+ performance review). The supervisor will be reporting upwards that the FCG is accomplishing spectacular feats due to their excellent tutalage, all the while they have the FCG sitting twiddling their thumbs.
Now this wasn’t always the case. Years ago only the LL6 who were truly interested in mentoring new hires created FCG positions. They worked hard at developing interesting and rewarding FCG positions.
Now it is the era of self promotion and fake accomplishment reporting. Buyer beware as only 25% of the FCG positions have any substance.
It is unfortunate, but I would advise you to move along to another company. Leave on good terms. When asked why you are leaving use one of the reasons that makes Ford feel like it wasn’t their fault like - Spouse wanted to relocate to be closer to family or something along those lines.
I was an FCG back in 1996. I left the company in 2004. I was very happy I left. It is correct to say some rotations are good and some are bad. Talk to other FCG’s to find out where the good rotations are and go there if you want to stay at Ford.
If I was you, I would highly consider going to another company. Ford isn’t the company it was when I was hired in back in the 90’s. It’s no longer a place you can work 30 years at then retire.