First Solar reviews

3.7

70% would recommend to a friend

(683 total reviews)
avatar

Mark Widmar

86% approve of CEO

62% positive business outlook

First Solar has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 683 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The First Solar employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Manufacturing industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

683 reviews
5.0
Oct 26, 2014

Great company to work for.

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

This is a world class company with advanced thin film CdTe technology that is on the verge of overtaking silicon in device performance and overall economics. This well balanced and substantial company will continue to prosper. The culture is positive and results oriented, just as you would expect from a successful corporation. The management puts real effort into matching the individual's strengths to the work at hand. While fast paced, it is not a "sink or swim" environment. There is a strong sense of team ownership in the work and ease in cutting across department or other boundaries to pull in the necessary resources to make the project succeed. People are personally competitive but are also very helpful. There is a considerable amount of leadership in this organization. I work in the Silicon Valley operation and interact a great deal with the operation in Perrysburg. Benefits, including time off policies are excellent. I have worked in the Silicon Valley for a long time and this is one of the best companies with a presence in the Valley.

Cons

None to speak of. I have had better stock options at other smaller companies, but this is a larger and more mature company. This is not a Silicon Valley start-up.

5.0
Sep 4, 2014

Nice company to work for

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great company to work for

Cons

Low salary for the expected class

2.0
Sep 3, 2014

Roller coaster

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay and benefits. Safety conscious. Physical work environment is very nice. Some management is flexible with work life balance. Good place for self minded individuals.

Cons

Constant change in leadership at the top has detracted from what could be a great company. The culture is very cutthroat, so pick your battles very carefully. Very young company with great upside if senior leadership can provide a long term strategy and stick with it.

Viewing 616 - 618 of 683 Reviews

Glassdoor has 805 First Solar reviews submitted anonymously by First Solar employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if First Solar is right for you.