It's going downhill - Software Engineer CircleCI Employee Review

2.0
Sep 7, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

People there really wanted to make a difference, and worked very hard to do so. You can tell a lot of people cared about the projects and features they were working on. There was quite a bit of autonomy and a good work life balance. I got hired during a time when salaries were inflated, so for me, pay was quite decent compared to the market. Benefits were average for a tech company. I would give a 2.5 out of 5 if halves were allowed.

Cons

Benefits were average for a tech company. It's a very established startup with an option plan that isn't too appealing, since the company is still private after all that time, with what is now a floundering offering. Vision from leadership was all over the place and felt chaotic. Management was not great as a result, and there was no real path for career development. A lot of things that should have been simple ended up with too many hands involved (mostly from the top down), and got unnecessarily complicated. Getting things done was difficult because everyone had opinions, which often clashed. It would take days to get a response out of some people. It was an incredibly frustrating environment to work in. The company has had two rounds of layoffs in about a six month timeframe, and I genuinely believe if leadership had a clear vision for the company and product these could have been avoided.

Explore other reviews about CircleCI

5.0
Apr 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

cool tech, learned a lot, coworkers were knowledgeable

Cons

two layoffs and a security breach

1
2.0
Jun 30, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work life balance, some decent people

Cons

Leadership and HR need to provide more stability and consistency. Constantly changing priorities, processes, and initiatives every month creates confusion, increases stress, and makes it difficult for employees to focus on meaningful work. Many of these initiatives conflict with one another, leaving employees feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and exhausted. The new compensation guidelines have further damaged morale. They create the perception that the company is trying to reduce headcount through a "quiet layoff" rather than investing in and retaining its employees. Whether intentional or not, this has significantly eroded trust in leadership. Additionally, not providing annual raises for employees who consistently meet expectations is deeply disrespectful, especially in today's economic climate. At a minimum, compensation should keep pace with inflation. Expecting employees to maintain strong performance while their purchasing power continues to decline sends the message that their work and contributions are not valued. Employees want to do great work, but that requires stability, transparency, and fair compensation. Investing in the people who keep the business running will do far more for engagement and retention than a constant cycle of new initiatives and cost-cutting measures

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