Gen Z and others looking for a job? Look elsewhere - Software Engineer Optum Employee Review

This is not a place for development or growth if you’re on the wrong team, and quite frankly it isn’t worth the risk of being on a “good” team. I am a younger person (gen-z) in my role, and joined the company through the TDP program, which was a dumpster fire in and of itself (PS: you won’t get a grade level or salary increase after the program that is facilitated by the program like it has been in years past; you also have to stay in the company for 2 years otherwise you have to pay back the signing bonus, stock doesn’t vest for 3-4 yrs based on their vesting schedule so consider that money fake, and 401k matching doesn’t begin until 1 year at the company), and I am now in my final placement role as a data analyst on one of the worst teams imaginable and with no help from TDP (you are left to fend for yourself after the program). The thing is, they have little roles and too many associates to place after the program, so they lower their "high quality" standards to get everyone placed at your expense. Managers don't understand that you are exiting the program with only 1 year of experience (and sometimes not even because you may be entering a new role completely different from your 2 rotations) so they think you know everything in the world about the role and when you try to express your dissatisfaction and confusion, they just look at you with that lead paint stare. And don’t get me started on the manager switcharoo! You’ll chat with one manager and like them enough to say you want to join the team and then boom! You’re screwed because you’re now being managed by someone completely different on the team with little people skills and who expects you to deliver like a robot and not ask questions. In addition, salary is a big issue at this company. There is no salary transparency, and you will most likely get 2-3% raises and an abysmal bonus at most unless you jump grade levels, which is still disappointing and not up to industry rates, and it is hard because they don’t discuss promotions openly either, they just say “I’ll get back to you” and then never do. Ok. This is all after discussing record profits btw! Super neat! Work life balance. Gee where do I start? How about we start with managers who work constantly at all hours because everything is an “emergency” and “urgent” and they need you to work “at a fast pace” and “under pressure” because they need to meet deadlines. Karen (who is a fictional character), it is not my responsibility to overwork myself for corporate overlords and shareholders, just simply hire more people. I don’t even get a good raise to be doing all those crazy work hours! I will continue logging on at 9 am and logging off at 5 pm. But God is it annoying to have to hear your manager say “I have no plans this weekend, I will just be working haha” and continuously being online even during PTO, or whilst sick and can’t even lead a meeting that you’ve set up but the show must go on? oh brother. like I am so sorry your life is consumed by work. Seek therapy that is not normal! Your health should come first, and for me it does, but geez these people act like work is their entire life! Real life conversation had: “Hey are you feeling better?” “Yeah! *proceeds to cough up crazy amounts of mucus on MS teams*” One last part, this place hires one minute and does layoffs the next like no tomorrow! Everyone is always on edge wondering when the next layoff is because they will layoff people who have been at the company loyally for 20+ or someone who just started yesterday. And the worst part is wondering: are we doing well with record profits or are we not? Hard to tell when people are hired on Monday and fired by Friday! Crazy thing is, this is something that was told to me a year before I graduated from college. A professor said those exact words! “People will be joining a team on Monday, and you’ll see someone packing up their cubical on Friday, that place is a revolving door!” How terribly sad. In addition, even my own doctor! DOCTOR! knows how terrible the company is. I went in for an appointment and she asked how my job was going and she said yeah I have a friend there looking for a new job (medical) because of all the wacky stuff happening. I say all that to say, if you are Gen Z or any generation looking for respect and support from managers and colleagues as you learn and onboard/express concerns, salary increases that outpace inflation, a great work life balance, people who care about your wellbeing and their own, put life first and not work first, a place that doesn’t lay off teams every single quarter leaving you wondering when you will be next, and a place that you will feel sad to leave upon going to your next company, choose anywhere but here for the love of God! Heed this warning, I am telling you, anywhere is a better place to work than here. I thought the warnings I got from other recruiters in the industry and former workers was not that serious and boy was I wrong! It is not worth the chance that you will end up on a good team, because even good teams have bad apples that can make you miserable here!