(IBM PM during the day here)
How do you like working there all in all? I understand hierarchy and bureaucracy are the name of the game back east, especially at big blue, but I suspect this will be nothing new... and that SV just claims to be more flat. But would love to hear your perspective and whether it's fulfilling in your org.
You're right, hierarchy and bureaucracy are name of the game, but that's true in any big org. You're probably best off asking someone who's actually working in the department where you'd be applying. There are so many departments and each one has their own culture, processes, etc. Someone who complains or is happy about stuff in one department is most likely not reflective of another department.
For the record, my department isn't exactly great, but they're giving me the opportunity that I actually care about (an opportunity to live in China so I can learn Mandarin).
Anyway to be honest I sort of like the idea of honesty about being hierarchical. Sometimes SV's claims of flatness feel like propaganda and rub me the wrong way when they're not realistic.
I can imagine what you mean about most people not being on the really cool stuff: I can see that IBM is keen to develop really awesome stuff that doesn't necessarily make money but which ensures IBM's brand is synonymous with innovation. Better than splattering coke and pepsi signs across the world's cities after all :)
Cheers!
IE 6 as a requirement is really rare now. (as an FYI for everyone else - IBM has one of the largest Mac fleets in the world, and fully supports a Linux desktop client as well. ( and yes Lotus Notes runs on win/mac/Linux/iOS/Android)
How do you like working there all in all? I understand hierarchy and bureaucracy are the name of the game back east, especially at big blue, but I suspect this will be nothing new... and that SV just claims to be more flat. But would love to hear your perspective and whether it's fulfilling in your org.
IBM tries very hard to encourage us to participate and let our voices be heard, but in my experience anything that takes time, effort or money is ignored, making the whole thing a silly puppet show.
I'm leaving the job soon because of things like this. I absolutely hate it when people say "such overhead is inevitable within such a big organization" because it's become an excuse for EVERYTHING. You wouldn't believe the sort of things we spend weeks on doing that should take minutes. We are talking manually renaming files and proccessing log files, because the "budget for such changes is already used up" or some other bullshit.
There is no ridiculous mind-numbingly slow process that isn't justified by the fact that the organizational aspect is in the way. I think it's become a warm blanket that managers can wrap around themselves to avoid taking responsibility.
I guess the NYC job market's a tough one especially for tech.
I see evidence for this folklore in that the biggest technology patent wars we've seen in recent years have focused around wireless, which one might consider the first major new computing technology that IBM didn't take a big part in developing.
Press release: http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/37511.wss
I too love IBM but they have a lot worse than some patent trolling lurking in their history.
And while it's very important to remember that this happened! It's time to disconnect this event from the company as it exists today.
You are only responsible for the sins of your parents if you keep doing those sins.