Great company culture - werkgeversreview Software Engineer bij Optimal (WA)

- Amazing people to work with. Everyone is very helpful if you aren't afraid to ask for help, and there were always great conversations at the lunch table. Lots of fun activities and the team is welcoming and tight-knit - Lots of opportunities to take charge and steer projects in a particular direction that's most helpful to your own professional growth, provided you take the initiative and figure out how to align your professional goals with those of the company - Great benefits, flexibility, and trust. Work life balance is great, and the company does things like weekly outings to the local farmers market, which is a nice break in the workday - Company encourages professional development, which I highly recommend taking advantage of.

- Company is very small and has been experiencing quite a bit of growth, so there are lots of growing pains. I think this is typical for any growing small company - Not a lot of guidance or mentorship from leadership, at least for my personal discipline (design). I found a way around this by seeking mentorship externally and taking advantage of conferences, etc., but it does require initiative. PMs who want to follow the path of a senior PM might have more luck seeking this out - At the moment, design is tertiary at this company. Leadership acknowledges/is transparent about this, at least.

- Free food (weekly Amazon Fresh deliveries) - Lunch outings once a month - Very chilled atmosphere (ping pong table, XBOX 360, etc) - Great view/location - Ample space - Friendly staff - Great compensation package

- Poor management This really was my only complaint, and yet it's a significant one. My supervisor was a HORRIBLE instructor (impatient, rushed thru instructions, etc) and despite him telling me he would let me know how I was doing, he didn't. I even asked both him AND the president if they could let me know at least 2 weeks in advance of the contract end date, if they saw me unfit to continue working there. At my review/firing, when I asked my supervisor why he didn't tell me all this stuff I did wrong BEFOREHAND, he got upset & loud and told me that they needed someone who could complete tasks without asking too many questions. When I told the president I thought this was unfair treatment, he replied that he didn't know my supervisor was going to have my review when he (the president) was out of town. Really? You didn't know this, despite you being the PRESIDENT of the company??? Only after I told the president I thought I received unfair treatment, did he give me a very generous compensation package (2 weeks worth of pay). Which was very generous, but odd that he did not mention/offer it until I contacted him and voiced my concerns several days after I was fired.