Pros
- still a lot of very good engineers you can learn from - good networking opportunities for new job (many people leaving company within 2 y time) - state of art technology and tools - for Germany very good leaving packages (employees with permanent German contract) - good living cost/initial salary ratio (but do not expect significant rise)
Cons
- completely clueless higher management (changing priority on weekly basis, many directors lacking basic knowledge about project management not talking about minimum technical clue to run the foundries, typically no one cares about employee morale, typical high level manager will do everything to keep his position even if this is seriously harming company resulting huge financial looses, none of them really cares about engineers opinion regarding technical matters that results in overcommitment to customers) - no any carrier planning nor overhours compensation/salary rise is a joke - individual performance management does not work (communism like mentality - every one equal but some are more equal. In many cases you perform or not you will have the same rise.) - almost no technical/soft skills training (learning department is a joke) - in some departments people lacking of any personal culture i.e. shouting at the meetings/interrupting (but this is not typical for all departments) - very inbalanced work load some people are at the limits while another spent most of the time in coffe corners - at engineering level many decisions are based on "personal choices" instead of solid data analysis. Despite complexity of microelectronic manufacturing I would not call GF analytical company at any level. - personal integrity and professionalism will not lead you anywhere in this company