Capital One reviews

3.6

60% would recommend to a friend

(4,496 total reviews)
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Richard D. Fairbank

76% approve of CEO

62% positive business outlook

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4K reviews

Reviews about "Compensation"

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2.0
Nov 17, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

My perspectives as a software engineer working for Capital One: - Use very good and modern software stacks, whatever the latest AWS has, Capital One has it. Capital One is one of the top customers of AWS, so AWS always try to sell the latest and greatest whatever they have to Capital One, so you can rest-assure that you are on top of cloud technology when working for this company - They have one of the best security practices of any companies I have ever since. They were hacked in the past, and severely scared of ever being hacked again.

Cons

Their performance review is a variation of "stack ranking", Jack Welch style (look it up). Performance done every 6 months, and they usually let go around 10-15% of a team/group per year through this method. Attrition is astronomical, even within the company (there are a lot of job changes within the engineering organizations). I have seen directors (both engineering and products) being let go through this process. Even managers will jump when he sensed he/his groups are in peril, I myself had 5 different managers just within less than 2 years. Ask yourself if you want to work for a job that your own manager is not looking out for you and will jump at any opportunities. There are no quarterly or half a year planning or OKRs whatsoever, just weird PowerPoint presentation of what you did in the half year, and they stack ranked against your peers. If you are the quiet types, you will be on the chopping block sooner or later. Oh, did I say they copy Amazon a lot? They are a big customer of Amazon, they are hiring managers/directors from Amazon and these Amazon people bring the same culture to Capital One, and I'm not sure if I like this.

1.0
Nov 15, 2025

Changed Since Covid

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pay is good Health Benefits are amazing 401K is top tier Work on issues that touch people’s lives and it is a point of pride to say you worked on something that people see. I used to think it was awesome to say I worked somewhere with major brand recognition

Cons

Stack Ranking has morphed into this multi level hydra. It used to be clear cut that some employees weren’t up to par, but post covid it has slowly become a noose that is used to squeeze employees. First it was increased expectations(go from running 1 team to 2). Then it was being able to compete with employees who have been there for years. It doesn’t matter if you are new to cap one or the role, you were expected to hit the ground running or get left behind. Capital One used to be a place to learn and grow but now it is a cost effective Amazon. It got to the point where I was working while at a family funeral to stay on top of my job and I dreaded every email notification or buzz I got on my phone. I look back at my time wistfully, I would’ve loved to be a C1 lifer, but I no longer recognize the company I grew to admire.

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