Dude Solutions Reviews

Pros

benefits were above average, location was good

Cons

New manager was in the process of being interviewed when I was interviewing, I was not told that was happening. New manager hired shortly after I was hired. Job changed within two weeks of hire due to new manager (work was off-shored and I was assigned to different team) New team transitioned to open office almost immediately (had I known that would happen I would never have accepted the job) other perks removed with transition basically the whole interview process was a bait-and-switch some very qualified interview candidates were obviously not given offers due to age (only happened under new manager - hirings more age diversified previously)

Pros

- work/life balance - option to work remotely - good teammates - awesome clients - CEO with a more modern outlook on work life - unlimited PTO - decent pay - annual bonus

Cons

- processes change so often that you forget what you’re actually supposed to be doing from one day to another or if the way you’re supposed to be doing it is different than it was yesterday - no real consequences for employees who aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing. They get several ““do better”’s and that’s it. But then they continue to do a bad job and other people have to pick up their slack - new investors seem to be cold and uncaring; LOTS of turnover when they came in (not even including the COVID layoff)

Pros

Good benefits, amazing peers (while they lasted).

Cons

There was a point in time when I really believed in the software engineering leadership at the Dude, and the direction that Ed was taking the company. The mission of the company is undoubtedly good, but the reality is that those of us on the ground level are treated like kindergarteners. It’s so weird to see one of the city’s “best places to work” slowly start to live up to being a place where you’re either a part of the white male leadership in-club, or you're slowly and strategically pushed closer and closer to the door. The ethos of Software Engineering is now one where you offer what is asked of you, with no questions asked, or you're seen as a hindrance. There’s a middle ground that is overlooked entirely, in the vein of “things had to change.” Hence, software engineers who care about being treated like adults need not apply to work at Dude Solutions. It is a machine that wishes to curb the creativity of developers to a point where “innovation" is a buzz word and technical debt is the rule, not the exception. Developers are looked at with disdain, unless you are the type of person who keeps to yourself and drinks the kool-aid. But even those developers are too smart to stick around and be treated like children. Meanwhile, management of the engineers will slowly get what they want in the way of everyone leaving, until they’re left with cheap labor overseas (the cost-cutting method called “attrition), and all the while can hide behind “necessary change” and delivery of a product that only even looks good to some clientele. Further, it appears that Dude Solutions lives up to its logo and name. White Dudes that barely deliver are overlooked after repeat complaints by their peers (often even promoted), while anyone else is at risk of losing their job just by way of not stroking the ego of the SVP of engineering. Middle management is not held accountable to their actions, and often gets away with a lack of the same professionalism they expect of the individual contributors. They respond to difficult questions with vagueness, blame-shifting, and even intimidation, while the reverse expectation is for DATA DATA DATA. It’s also comical how intently the word “quality” is thrown around. Some of the most talented QA engineers and UX designers have worked at the Dude, but when they make suggestions toward an overall quality strategy, they’re met with more constantly shifting priorities. There are even managers who are blindly approving pull-requests. Meanwhile, engineers are asked on a regular basis to circumvent any definition of done, and to deliver the easy (often untested) solution. I do not recommend working in the Product Development/Engineering department at Dude Solutions, especially if you’re someone who looks to improve the organization whose walls you work within. Go somewhere open to improvement, somewhere that actually (not just verbally) values diversity, and take your skills somewhere that will genuinely appreciate them.

Pros

At this point, who knows anymore

Cons

I have sat in multiple meetings where the director called our team "the oasis" of the company. Ask yourself this, what surrounds an oasis? A desert. This should give you some indication on how fractured this company is. The director is implying that the whole rest of organization (aside from our team) is a desert and they're right. But there is no oasis, it's just desert with watering holes every now and then. Nepotism: If you're friends with the management team you'll be fine. Leads will flow to you without you needing to make more than 5-10 calls a day (maybe one or two days you’ll be asked to make more for appearances sake) and there will be no need for you to worry about generating any business on your own. Self-generated business will flow to you from the newer reps that have moved onto greener pastures. If you're a new, find some way to "get in" with management and don't dare ask questions like: Why is it that the top performing reps make less than 20 calls a day? When I look at the demo's booked from the top performing reps, all of them are leads or came from accounts that previous reps have generated? Why is it that for the past 4 years, only 6 out of 25+ have hit/exceeded their quota? Explain to me how is it that when I add up the other 25+ reps sales numbers, the numbers don't even come close to matching ONE of the top performing 6? These are all questions that everyone asks themselves but don't dare ask. Why? Because you'll be looked at as negative. But why does management fear these questions? Because it uncovers the nepotistic sales process. ***Here’s a tip on how to “get in” with the management: join a gym, play golf, start gambling on Draftkings, know your sports stats, watch and talk about "The Sopranos", and “The Untouchables.” Game of Thrones won’t hurt either. Positivity: I'm a fan of positivity, and I believe you can see positives in any situation. Why did I put this as a con? Because the leadership here have twisted positivity intro a rigid, harsh, unaccepting, prejudice, un-empathetic way of thinking, which causes anyone who asks real questions to be seen as a detractor. If there's a problem, don't look for a solution, keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results because if you don't, you're negative. TEAM: No it's not, you're joining a mob. I referenced the untouchables above and there's a scene in the movie where Al Capone is having lunch with his "TEAM." During this scene Al walks around the table with a baseball bat eventually getting to one his "teammates" and bashes his head in for not being a "teammate". The director and management team have played this scene multiple times during our "TEAM" meetings. I honestly can’t remember the intent the director had in showing the TEAM this scene, but the message was clear none the less, you’re either in or you’re out, violently out.

Pros

Flexible hours, talented people. Good location.

Cons

Under staffed, too much process, agile overload, open floor format.

Pros

Unlimited PTO, and work life balance

Cons

The entire organization was informed through email and zoom calls multiple times the workforce would be safe from Covid-19 layoffs, and the cost savings were supposed to avoid massive layoffs. Instead the CEO decided to lay off 132 people (20%), which is the maximum layoff rate in NC. No one was safe in this, and we have been lied to. This is the second round of layoffs in a few months, which tells me the Dude is untrustworthy.

Pros

Really can’t think of any anymore.

Cons

Read the entire review “The Oasis”. It is clear which team this is. Also, there have been many many reviews about this particular team for at least two to three years, yet same results and response from ELT. For everyone who lost their job, seems they let a few good ones go and could have looked elsewhere.