Unexpectedly corporate vibes all around - Software Engineer Canonical Employee Review

1.0
Oct 5, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I had the opportunity to work with some incredibly smart, well-education, and interesting coworkers, which was one of the major highlights of my experience. The company also offers great opportunities for international travel, which can be a plus for those looking to expand their global experience. Additionally, the brand is well-known in the developer world, which can be a significant boost for your resume.

Cons

For a company that positions itself as technical, the work was surprisingly lacking in technical depth. The environment is neither psychologically safe nor inclusive, with management showing little trust in its employees. Performance management is driven by tighter and tighter margins, leading to a high-pressure atmosphere that takes a toll on morale. Success often hinges more on navigating office politics than on actual performance, which makes the workplace more stressful and undermines meritocracy. Despite being an open-source company, it operates with a rigid, corporate structure that contradicts the collaborative and transparent values typically associated with open-source culture.

Explore other reviews about Canonical

5.0
Apr 18, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

very good. happy so far

Cons

could be better, like the time of application to final round

2.0
May 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Met some interesting people, had some interesting conversations.

Cons

Was constantly hearing bad stories about upper management. I only experienced the CEO expressing minor annoyance and paranoia a couple of times. My line manager always seemed to be treading water, fixated on dev-ops ceremonies, and didn't respect the opinions of his peers. The guy who was the "expert" for my field practised management by spreadsheet and was completely out of his depth, always obsessing about his approach to the work and inflicting his opinion on everyone else. Spent too much time having to plan for travel or hear about everyone's travel plans. Wasted so much time in the company's ongoing recruitment drive which pushes most of the work of interviewing and filtering candidates onto regular employees.

3
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