Corel Reviews

Pros – The best thing about Corel are it's people. Due to downsizing, the ones left are true professionals with great flair. For a software corporation of its size, its scale of operations is quite extensive and this is all due to the quality of its employees.

If you are a junior to intermediate level person who wishes to grow, this is a great place as you will be working with world-class professionals with a can-do attitude to everything.

Cons – Very little room for advancement. Management hold onto their positions tightly and keep their employees from evolving into leadership roles.

If you are a senior-level person, you will find it frustrating at the least.

Advice to Senior Management – If you want to retain your high quality employees, you need to provide them opportunities for advancement.

Pros – It was a co-op job. In my third year. Started off great, although I thought it was a little slow. But it was my first job in the field, so I'm sure they weren't expecting me to hit the ground running anyway.

Cons – My hiring manager got laid off. At the same, I was supposed to get a few terms out of it but because of the cutbacks, my contract was not renewed. (I was supposed to get a few terms out of it.)

Pros – Good group of highly skilled people that enjoy their work and their products. Decent perks, work flexibility, and consistent perfromance recognition throughout.

Cons – Recent history of investor purchase, delisting, relisting, delisting again. Very tight ship with little room or budget for innovation. Culture of "me too" products. High executive aversion to risk.

Advice to Senior Management – Need to foster more innovation at a low level. Create more turnover in the employees to bring in fresh experiences and skills.

Pros – great people
flexible hours
every person can make a difference
lots of opportunities to grow
good leadership
good location
never boring
always a new challenge

Cons – There is a perception of constant layoffs that leaves people uncertain of what/who is next, but the reality is there is a keen eye on financial success and stability and there are a lot of new hires.

Advice to Senior Management – Thank your lucky stars for such a dynamic and resilient workforce and reward them often for their extreme commitment and perseverance.

Pros – The people are good here.

Cons – Unknown growth plans for future

Advice to Senior Management – Develop a strategy

Pros – - Great coworkers
- Relaxed atmosphere

Cons – - Disorganized senior management
- Senior management team doesn't listen
- Always risk of layoffs
- Few "non-managers"
- No clear strategy for future

Advice to Senior Management – Start listening to your employees - they talk to the customers and know what they're talking about. They're the key to success.

Pros – Nice people. There are some interesting opportunities both in profesional sense and in climbing corporate ladder.
Overall, positive work environment.

Cons – Job security - I guess it is the same for all IT jobs in the developed word.

Advice to Senior Management – Consider long-term goals rather then just worrying about this quoter

Pros – Exposure to new technologies. The people were fun to work with and for the most part enjoyed their jobs. Employee events, and fun days were appreciated. Very good place to start a career, people in Ottawa recognize the the talent of Corel employees. Free coffee (the good stuff) and pop. Very good work home balance. I was always able to take time from work to look after home and family.

Cons – Long hours without proper compensation. A lot of the time managers felt that it was necessary to do overtime just for the doing overtime. No willingness to provide relevant training. Cut backs and lack of R&D spending limit the amount of positions available to move into.

Advice to Senior Management – Spend on R&D. More on the research part

Pros – The people are awesome. Everyone gets along and there are virtually no conflicts. It's a fun and often challenging environment to work in. Communication from upper management has improved 100% over the years. You get a true feeling that you are part of a large team, all working toward a single goal of success.

Cons – The same as all companies in the high-tech sector -- the fear of cutbacks and downsizing.

Advice to Senior Management – Keep doing what you are doing.

Pros – - OK pay and benefits
- Life/work balance
- Some very bright and nice people to work with

Cons – - Constant layoffs
- No vision/direction
- Very short-sighted outsourcing stragtey from new management who has no idea about the the products are

Advice to Senior Management – It is easy to look at numbers and make calls on what you can see. It is harder to be couragous and taking-risk to head the company to the future growth. Without a mindset change, the company is going away sooner or later.