Pros
Working conditions at FICO depend largely on which department you work for. Analytics has always been valued and is the best group to be a part of. Software Development is generally not, although some product development groups are much better than others. At the San Rafael office, most employees have spacious and comfortable offices. The company recently installed Starbucks coffee machines on each floor and provides free snacks. The in-house café serves good food and the café staff are friendly and responsive to requests. There’s a walking/bike path nearby that is handy for exercising and there are in-house showers. Depending on your group and appropriateness to your position, work hours are generally flexible. Until recently, working remotely has also been supported, which has helped tremendously with commute traffic and the odd working hours necessitated by working with a global staff, but is unfortunately now discouraged. Salaries are competitive: neither high nor low. FICO employees are very bright, skilled, hard-working, and friendly. If you’re in the right group, have a supportive manager, and have a high tolerance for uncertainty and stress, FICO may work for you, but be sure to research the group and position you are considering.
Cons
Many FICO jobs have been moved out of the country and employees don’t know from month to month if their jobs will be eliminated. This makes it difficult to make financial plans and commitments such as buying a home or even a car. This kind of uncertainty causes continual stress and anxiety, affecting employee health and attitudes. Cost-of-living raises appear to be a thing of the past, as are a previous employee stock purchase plan and option awards for most employees. Bonuses, when awarded, have been small. Healthcare benefits are no longer competitive, with the company moving everyone to HSAs and reducing company contributions. It’s difficult to obtain the training necessary to keep skills current due to lack of funding and time. Middle managers no longer have defined vacation, but are supposed to take time off when work allows, which varies considerably based on the opinions of their own managers. The performance review system is very competitive and discouraging. Management has said that there are not performance “quotas,” but practically speaking, if a manager of a high-performance team tries to rate all of his staff high, he is discouraged from doing so.
