Used to be a great company - Senior Software Engineer Arm Employee Review

Thanks for taking the time to let us know how you feel. It’s disappointing to hear you aren’t happy working at Arm anymore. It’s clear some of your frustration comes from working on less challenging more mature technology. As you know, Arm is investing in software development in new areas such as AI, IoT and security. We encourage people to develop and grow as human beings and in their career. Have you considered moving to a different part of the organisation that will offer you the challenge and mental stimulation you are looking for? Arm has grown a lot since you would joined. The company is almost five times the size. That means it’s inevitable that the proportion of managers, including senior management, has increased. Becoming a manager isn’t an easy option. Leading teams, coaching and developing people to make sure we deliver on our promises is fundamental to our success and ability to scale. As you are aware becoming a manager isn’t the only route for progression. We also have a technical career path where you can progress through the grades into very senior positions. We employ lots of brilliant people in Arm which makes it a highly competitive track to join. I can appreciate that’s why you may feel that it’s a tougher path to follow. Finally, your comment about the importance of visibility and great communication skills for career progression is fair. We value collaboration and teamwork very highly in Arm which is why one of our core beliefs is “We, not I”. The ability to share your knowledge with confidence and influence colleagues is a big part of that. As this permeates the organisational culture a consequence is that we are placing more importance on soft skills when it comes to promotions. On paper that may put non-native English speakers at a disadvantage. It isn’t an insurmountable problem if you have the will to develop your communication skills, as proven by the number of senior employees who come from non-English speaking countries. I would encourage you to talk to your manager about how we can support you to develop your career in Arm.