- Culture is a total coin toss now. It depends almost entirely on who your manager is. The old, unified “values‑driven” vibe is long gone.
- Quotas are way out of touch with reality. That constant pressure leads to burnout, and you see it in the turnover.
- Speaking of which — the attrition is brutal. Teams are in a constant state of flux because reps burn out or leave.
- There’s too much micromanagement, and politics slow everything down. Getting something meaningful done feels like pushing a boulder uphill.
- The new leadership came from companies that didn’t exactly shine, and it shows. They’ve brought in this “work till you drop” mentality, where people are publicly praised for sacrificing personal time just to hit numbers.
- Don’t count on moving up. It’s common to sit in an SDR or entry‑level AE role for years before getting considered for promotion, while external hires come in, flop after a couple quarters, and then leave.
- Honestly, the company feels like it already peaked. It’s falling behind competitors and doesn’t seem to have a clear plan for the future.
- Quotas are unrealistic: Targets feel disconnected from reality, leading to constant pressure and frequent burnout.
- High turnover: Reps burn out quickly; attrition is a constant, and teams are always in flux.
- Micromanagement and politics: To get anything meaningful done, you need to navigate layers of approval and internal politics.
- Leadership issues: The new leadership team (CEO, CRO, etc.) comes from companies that didn’t exactly thrive, and they’ve imported a “sweatshop” mentality — publicly praising people for sacrificing personal well‑being in favor of work.
- Career stagnation: Internal promotions in sales are painfully rare. You can sit in SDR or entry‑level AE roles for 3–4 years before even being considered for a move up, while external hires often flame out within two or three quarters.
- Falling behind competitors: GitLab has already seen its best days. Today, it’s lagging behind rivals with a foggy, unclear roadmap.
