I loved the company, hated my department - Land Department SM Energy Employee Review

1.0
10 Nov 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great health and 401k benefits Average salary Great CEO- learns your name within the week you start (he is retiring this year) Quarterly company wide lunches to keep everyone up to date on the companies financials, new hires, new protocol, and even weddings and new babies of staff Community outreach is great. Allows employees to take a paid day to do community service Job security- they won't fired you, no matter how bad you are at your job

Cons

I know it sounds like a lot of great Pros, but the Cons outweigh the Pros fifty times over. The land department is like a high school lunchroom and when you start you are the freshman. The upperclassmen pick which freshman they like within the first few months of hiring. Nothing is contingent on ability, knowledge or potential, just who likes to chat in the common areas the longest or who pawns their work off on others because they are too good for it. After that, rumors are spread like wildfire for the people who were not "the chosen ones". If someone said you were texting all day because they saw it once while walking by your office, that is it. You will be know as a slacker and someone who does not care to advance. You will never move up. You will never get training. College interns will come in and get all the training you have been begging for for years. They don't have time to train you, but with the interns it's a different story. They will hire outside no matter what. They don't give lower levels any consideration. New hires are brought in with little to no experience. The department heads don't even know how much you have learned or what experience you have achieved. They make you fill out goals, but when you are concerned about reaching these goals, they will not help. They will then use it against you in your review. HR does not want to hear your issues. They do not care about you. Everything is swept under the rug and no one in mid level will ever get demoted no matter how many "future lawsuit-worthy" issues they cause. They no longer ask for a exit interview from employees moving on because they don't want to hear what you have to say. No matter how many times upper management "restructures" the department, the same people who were a problem are in management positions, and the problems are still there.

Explore other reviews about SM Energy

5.0
14 Oct 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This is one of the best companies I've worked for. They are growth and leadership minded. Feels like the Leadership team really care about their people.

Cons

None I enjoy working here.

3.0
5 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great hybrid schedule. Great benefits. Lots of good people and managers.

Cons

Lots of layers of management now.

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