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Don't try to make a career at VMware - Director VMware Employee Review

2.0
Jan 27, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

VMware has some great products, so whatever time you spend there make sure you learn about the products, utilize all the free training and certification. These will help you find the next best job and keep you employed for 10 years. VMware name in your resume has the most value today.

Cons

The company has grown way too big and the management is incapable of handling and organizing various functions. There are several duplicate and redundant functions within VMware and you will find many people doing the same job as you. You will also need to be very political to navigate thru several layers and get things done. IT at VMware is the worst function to work, the CIO position is revolving door and have a new CIO every year. With the new CIO comes his entourage and fires a whole bunch of existing IT employees. HR turns a blind eye to this even though CEO and HR leader says employees development is important in every meeting. IT is also heavily bloated with over 2000 employees with layers and layers of management with all of them micro managing. You will be doing a manager role even if you have a Director or Senior Director title. VMware also has a huge shadow IT within business that decides and tells what IT should do, so pretty much IT is a order taking organization. You will be in a better position working for one of those shadow IT. You learn very little technology at VMware IT and most of the time you are managing vendors and contractors. Retaliation is rampant in the company, if you voice your opinion you can be sure to be laid off in the next round. Similarly to get promoted or to get a decent raise you should have had prior professional relationship with your manager or both of you must have worked together in a prior job. Identified as top performer or top talent as part of annual review has no value at VMware.

Explore other reviews about VMware

5.0
Jun 24, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

VMware is a big company but in many ways had a startup vibe. That was great because the resources and infrastructure of a big company were there, but it gave most people I worked with freedom to work on many projects, influence, move around, and contribute in many ways. Plus, many things moved faster than they might at other companies of the same size. Perks were really great including bonuses, events on the campus, opportunities, etc.

Cons

The biggest con is the annual layoff. During most of the years I was there, we were growing like crazy, beating expectations, gaining in stock price, etc. It was always positive and upward. However, every single January, it was known that there would be a round of layoffs, even when all numbers were looking great as they almost always were. Management called it restructuring. But, over the years, some really good people were let go for no apparent reason. Then to add insult to injury, a week or two later, there would be a company quarterly meeting discussing how VMware was doing so well and is still hiring, but they had to make some changes. It always felt dishonest and the sympathy for those let go came across as disingenuous.

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