Pros
Some skilled and experienced engineers trying their best to deliver under pressure.
Exposure to enterprise-scale systems and government-related projects.
Cons
Favoritism and exclusion: Promotions, visibility, and support go to insiders or long-time loyalists. If you’re not part of that circle, expect to be sidelined. Some voices are always heard; others never are.
Legacy tech and fake Agile: Most projects involve patching legacy systems rather than building anything new. Despite constant “Agile” talk, real Agile doesn’t exist. Standups are just status reporting sessions for upper management.
No career path: Raises and promotions are opaque and infrequent. Career development feels like an afterthought, unless you’re lucky enough to have a manager who advocates for you (rare). Many strong engineers leave or stagnate.
Toxic peer culture: Backstabbing, gossip, and cliques are a normal part of daily life. Some team members seem more focused on undermining colleagues than doing their jobs. You learn to stay quiet and keep your head down.
High stress, no support: Overtime is common, but recognition is not. Deadlines are chaotic and change often. Emotional exhaustion sets in fast — and burnout is treated like a weakness, not a symptom of broken systems.
Abusive management culture: Several team leads and mid-level managers use fear and intimidation as their management style. Yelling, public blame, and emotional manipulation are common tactics. Feedback is rarely constructive — it's either hostile or condescending.