Mix Signals by Management, but Still a Great Company - Developer Vanguard Employee Review

4.0
Jun 7, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

PTO is best in class...new hires get 3 weeks, but after a promotion I was up to 4 weeks and 4 days, plus we always have an option to buy a week. The 401k match is very good because of the 14% put in yearly by Vanguard, then add in the low cost investor fees. As a software developer in the Retail division, I'm given the opportunity to learn the Brokerage and Mutual Fund business, while also honing Technical skills. The Yearly Bonus recently changed so Top Performers get a bigger cut of the money, and this greatly benefited me since I'm still a relatively new hire. There's a Wegman's now, so we've got that.

Cons

There's a lot, but the culture is changing: Yearly Compensation is low for the suburbs, and honestly if I wasn't in IT I wouldn't be able to live without a roommate. When I lobbied for a promotion after only a year on the job (not unreasonable), I was told I needed time in job by my manager. Within 6 mos. I was promoted. Then about 3 yrs later I was given a review that stated, "not visible to upper management" which of course I barely control, so I switched to a very visible role on a $60 mil project, where I soon became a SME. Now I'm getting signals where I'm integral to the program, yet there's no promotion to compensate me for that. It's just frustrating that the company is trying to be more visible in its promotion/demotion area, yet individual Divisions can squash it. Working in the Suburbs

Explore other reviews about Vanguard

5.0
Jul 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits are amazing, good culture mostly

Cons

Middle management can focus too much on politics vs. improvements

3.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Awesome coworkers for young professionals. Paid licensing for a few months.

Cons

Micromanagement is out of control. Incompetent team leaders who are obsessed with power and metrics. Back to back calls, limited support, and nearly impossible effective communication between departments. Zero time to cultivate culture because you are taking calls every second of the day except for 30min/1hr lunch and two 15 minute breaks. You’re locked into your role for over a year (apprenticeship for around 60 days, then a year after promotion to associate) and your team leaders will not approve internal applications unless you are “eligible”.

4
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All