Good stepping stone for new grads. - Software Engineer Optum Employee Review

3.0
Apr 4, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you get hired as a new grad fresh out of college the pay is pretty good. You also start with 5 weeks paid vacation. When you "graduate" out of TDP, you will most likely be given another substantial raise. So now you're a year out of college making good money. The pay raises start to dwindle after this however. Don't be surprised to hear "our org doesn't have enough money in the budget this year to give you a real raise, but don't worry, next year we'll have your back". Overall, this company is a great company to work at as a new grad. But after two years most people move on to something else.

Cons

Politics A lot of talk, no action Your experience here is very dependent on what team you're placed on, and you have very little control over that (even if they make it seem like you do). There are also a lot of pretenders here. "Tech leads", who think they're geniuses, but really everyone hates them and they don't contribute anything but added confusion and aggravation.

Explore other reviews about Optum

5.0
Apr 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Large company that provides great benefits and support career growth. Company culture supports work life balance.

Cons

Constant shift to hire contractors and offshore roles, which have caused lay offs.

3.0
Jun 4, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some very talented people give so much of themselves to the company, the clients and their co-workers. I work with (and have worked with) some excellent, smart, supportive people.

Cons

Too many layoffs. Upper management is clueless about how the day to day work gets done, what it takes to make certain changes to processes, and how to treat employees. Some are great. Mostly, they just look at numbers. So many of us have been doing our jobs long enough to know what is needed for certain requests. But we don't get a voice. We just have to do it and suck it up. They are firing ('reduction in force') all of the seasoned staff and let the rest deal with the fall-out. So many teams are losing good people but those people are training their off-shore replacements before they are told about being cut. So how is that a reduction in force? It's just a reduction in payroll numbers. Everyone is on edge just waiting for the next axe to fall. And we have to try and learn or teach another role with less experienced people and more work. It's crazy. On milestone anniversaries, they send an email recognition but once the milestone gets to over 15 years, you are a target. Pay and benefits are fine by me. Raises are practically non-existent, even after layoffs and asking employees to take on more responsibility. that's messed up. They talk about work/life balance but that doesn't trickle down to the actual workers who are so stressed they fear for their jobs if they don't do the extra mile. Many of us are just hanging on instead of quitting so we can at least get some severance. Others are actively looking.

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