USAA reviews

• Pay is WAY under market value. That's supposedly offset by bonuses and retirement benefits - which have recently seen cuts. My total compensation doesn't even come close to meeting the target that *USAA itself* displays for my role. • So many layers of bureaucracy. It's a middle-management extravaganza. A lot of people have been here forever, yet seem to do nothing but slow things down. • Don't be fooled by job descriptions; if you're lucky enough to use Agile, it will be the corrupted version that is SAFe. But in our area, even that is in name only. Welcome back to Waterfall y'all! Not even true Waterfall, but Waterfall trying to masquerade as Agile and failing miserably. Get ready for: arbitrary deadlines set by people with no understanding of the software development process; vague requirements that change by the day; siloed teams; planning that gets immediately ignored; doing the jobs of incompetent people "above" you; meetings; more meetings; still more meetings; and other fabulous prizes! • Good luck using industry-standard anything. Everything is locked-down in the name of "compliance," which, while sometimes valid, is often just a company-wide catch-all excuse to explain away poor/unpopular policies and decisions. "We can't come up with a good reason (because there isn't one). So...Compliance!" • Is there a tool you've been using for your entire career? You'd better hope it's on the approved list (it probably isn't), because getting something approved involves more hoops than a hula-hoop convention. • Non-technical management does not listen to (or value) the technical expertise of engineers presumably hired for that very expertise. • Engineers have to correct/rewrite assigned features, often creating their own acceptance criteria, which obviously makes no sense. • In addition to being a software engineer, you will also be expected to perform the role of dev-ops, security, and testing engineer - because for some reason there are not dedicated teams for these functions. Your pay will *not* reflect that you're doing the work that would - in most companies - be performed by four different people.

Micromanaged, sales based metrics. In training and NEO the company states their all about “the mission” and they say “the mission” over and over to fool you to believe in it and drink the Kool-Aid. As an MSR you’re nothing but an overworked, salesman, that is constantly being monitored on your calls, micromanaged, and pushed to make offers on each call for products that the member does not need the majority of the call all in an effort to “secure the members financial security” when in reality, it’s only there to secure USAA’s financial profit and your annual bonus. Managers do not lead by example and I have witnessed this because just the other day, a manager was walking around on the floor playing Pokémon GO on his phone! You are undervalued and under paid. Education and real leadership experience does not matter. If you’re a veteran don’t be surprised when they put on the phone and do not hire you for a “corporate position” outside the call center. Unless you’re a retired O-5, O-6, or E-9 USAA doesn’t give a damn what you did in the military and what real leadership experience you have compared to your peers. You will go on the phone. They talk about room for growth, but that’s only if you brown nose your manager or you get in good and play politics with other people in the company. Other than that you’re stuck on the phones. I have a bachelors degree and will have an MBA complete next year. I am also a veteran and former commissioned officer that has led over 100 people and been directly responsible for millions of dollars of resources during the time I served, but that doesn’t matter with USAA. I’m on the phone. Lastly, don’t believe the hype that going on the phone first is “your foot in the door”. You’ll be still stuck there because the call center is a human factory.