Counterweight - Principal Software Engineer Corel Employee Review

3.0
Apr 26, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

While some of the cons listed by other employees were true, their feedback is outdated. Since then Corel improved. Yes, we had lots of layoffs in the past decades but, more recently, very little. The company size stabilized and we are now hiring to maintain it. We have amazing teams of qualified developers, QA, UED, etc... To me that is one of the best reasons why I stayed here so long : the people. Everyone is friendly and help each other out! There is little competition among us : we rather support each other. Another major pros are the products you'd work on. Despite their ages, we are using cutting edge technologies to develop them on recent hardware. You'll never get bored and you will do interesting projects. I've been working here for over a decade now and am still learning every day. Best of all, you'll get to do cool new features, not just maintain old code. Even in the worse case scenario : more layoffs, which I don't see happening anytime soon, you'll get to put Corel on your resume! Not many people can say that they worked on shrinked wrapped application used by millions of users across the world : YOU could. The work environment is good, we have flexible hours, understanding managers, good work-life balance. Long overtime hours is NOT expected. Some do, some don't, it depends on your personality and on your personal situation : no one will judge you : your choice. There is room to grow within developer's ladder. Not very much within the management ladder but it does happen. Also note that the CEO is not Tom Berquist anymore, it is Patrick Nichols which understand software development much better. As opposed to a long time ago, when Corel was going in all directions without any clear focus, Patrick as a very clear one. New Corel is very cautious about maintaining its revenues and keeping its expenses in check which is good in my opinion. Benefits are good and Vacation plan too. Compensation plan is competitive. Free parking. Good location. RRSP matching.

Cons

Rather than maintain competitive compensations, give more :P

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5.0
Apr 11, 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great work/life balance culture, focusing on flexibility and choice (for example, they give you the option to work from home or in the office if you live close to one). There is a strong push on wellness with 4 wellness days and year and a brand-new wellness allowance.

Cons

I've worked in enough companies to understand that there are challenges in every company. I see the leadership trying to solve their problems by listening to employees. I don't think Alludo has any cons that outweigh the pros.

3.0
Mar 12, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The money and benefits were great. The HR dept is amazing, marketing staff is SO talented, engineers and tech support are not only accessible, but happy to jump on a call. They address software issues for customers right away. They offer hands-on assistance to partners\resellers. I loved the money - The most I've ever made (consecutively) year to year, in sales. Not too much travel, but when there was, the per diem was very fair and allowed for pretty comfortable accommodations. The people are amazing. Always willing to help, positive, etc. I worked on some awesome sales teams. The first 2 years were the best. My goal was to stay for 5 years.

Cons

Constant sales management and VP changes. Change is normal, but every 6 months is something else. Of course, in sales, they only really value those who produce, which is expected, but there is extreme favoritism in terms of territories. Rules can be slightly and sometimes grossly skewed for the right people. Managers at the VP level are untouchable if they are well-connected, even when they behave badly or inappropriately. They lay off, then hire more, then change direction, again and again, etc., etc. It's normal for leadership to make changes when one direction is not fruitful, but it's not easy to be the one who must start over..again.

2
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Corel Response
1y
Thank you for leaving your review. It appears you are no longer with our company and we wish you the best in your next opportunity. We’ve shared your perspectives with our team.
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