Outside of the factory - Pretty good. Inside of the factory in trying to make a respectable difference - not good. - Product Engineer Lam Research Employee Review

3.0
Mar 25, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Almost a decade of my life - very proud of what I was doing and how Lam treated me - except for the last 8-10 months - when it became purely a confused state of affairs. Pay is way above average - not that it makes a difference when you work 60+ hours a week, but for the most part - 75% of the time I was with Lam - compensation was excellent, advancement was good - and my management, overall, was very supportive.

Cons

In the middle world of Lam - There is a general lack of communication - too much tribal knowledge, and several instances of cronyism. It's 50-50 - many technically sound personnel, but there is alot of fluff internally, in some cases sheer confusion by middle management (who don't truly understand the product or what the customer seeks), or lack of foresight (continuously repeating tests that have no conclusive data, which wastes time and money) and apparently some who think they are almost deities. In my last position - Management - didn't know (obviously did not understand) what I was doing and wasn't the least bit concerned that I was working 60+ hours per week trying to 'keep up' with the workload - having to carry the load for others who found it better to prove themselves as an asset by keeping close proximity to management's backside. Don't try to think outside the box and have it appreciated - and never tell anyone the truth, although that is one of the key principles that Lam impresses upon you to express, with respect, but it does have it's consequences (in this instance and with this particular manager, highly counter-productive to your continued employment). Clear communication and goal guidance (big picture) can be severely lacking. Also - for the field - SAP completely inhibits productivity. Nice place to make and keep records, but it is time consuming and inhibits supporting the overall productivity of the products sold by Lam.

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5.0
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Pros

Great opportunities, pay, and benefits

Cons

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1.0
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CEO approval
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Pros

Opportunities to support global activities

Cons

Heavy micromanagement — frequent revisions on ppt to minor details like font size and colors. Frequently calling staffs even after work hours and lunch time. Manager often takes on additional work from other teams without considering current team workload, So the manager appears supportive and “nice” externally but creates additional burden to the subordinates. Manager controls team budget strictly for team-building activities (events and meals), team members feel restrictive and reluctant to participate, for example team members dare not order appetizers, dessert or drinks on top of entrees during team events. Manager used up most of the travel budget. Biz trip and personal travel boundaries are unclear, especially when manager frequently has business trips overlaps with personal travel. Seems like manager using biz trip to get free hotel and free air tickets for PTO.

2
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