EPAM Systems Software Developer reviews

I was initially very excited to join EPAM. My original joining date was in the first week of October 2025, but just two days before, HR postponed it to the second week. Then, just one day before my new joining date, HR informed me that the position was put on hold and I could not be onboarded. This was shocking because I had already served my notice period at my previous company. After repeatedly following up, I was told I could only be hired at a downgraded role (Software Engineer instead of Senior Software Engineer) with a reduced CTC. Since I had no other offer and was unemployed at the time, I reluctantly accepted. Once I joined, things did not improve. The client name and tenure were not disclosed during hiring, but I assumed it was fine as this was a permanent role with EPAM. However, after just six months on a project, it ended, and I was moved to the bench—where I found 250+ employees already waiting, including many new hires. On the bench, employees are forced into mandatory programs (like incubation, DSA programs, etc.), where they must give daily updates, demos, and clear internal interviews every week before even being considered for a client project. These internal interviews are extremely rigid, and unless you answer every question perfectly, you won’t be moved forward to client interviews. Most projects are short-term, despite client managers initially assuring a minimum tenure of two years. The constant bench pressure, repeated interviews, and lack of stability severely affect mental health and confidence. Many employees either resign out of frustration or are eventually asked to leave. Overall, the experience has been extremely stressful, demotivating, and far from what was promised during the hiring process.