Pros
- Suburb work/life balance. Your time outside of work is respected. - Excellent environment for learning and experimenting - The environment is designed to maximize interchangeability, so you can take time off whenever you need. - Broad variety of projects with diverse technologies - If you are a charismatic white man, this will be the best job you'll ever have
Cons
- Hostile workplace for those of us with disabilities. They will follow the letter of the law when it comes to accommodations, but expect significant resistance and any request to be held against you when being considered for advancement. When I discussed my struggles and asked for assistance last year, I was advised by one of the owners to consider that I might not be a good fit for Menlo and would be better served by seeking other work. I heard from other employees in similar situations that they faced similar resistance. - Casually sexist, particularly if you are a developer. Expect to advance much slower than your male counterparts. - I cannot speak to the experiences of PoC employees, but representation is below the population demographics of the area. Washtenaw county consists of 75% white people, U of M, a common hiring target for Menlo, is 54% white, but Menlo is ~95% white people. A statistically significant bias that Menlo has made no effort to address. - Hiring and promotions are a popularity contest. If you are charismatic or an extrovert, you'll have a great time. If you're not, well, good luck. - Low pay for new employees. Like all predatory employers, this is justified by claiming the experience and opportunity makes up for it. - Management is proud of their lack of HR department, which is always a red flag. At Menlo what that means is if you experience harassment, discrimination, need to request accommodations, or would like clarification on a policy, you're on your own. - Your success at Menlo greatly depends on how well you are liked by management, particularly the Factory Floor Manager. - Nepotism and favoritism create unequal opportunities that border on discrimination.
