Interview with a bunch of companies, especially high-tech ones. Each one will tell you about their amazing culture and their special values. It gets pretty old pretty fast. But interview with GitLab, and immediately it becomes clear that something is different, truly different, unique. From the moment I began speaking with people at the company during the hiring process all the way through my first month at the company (as of this writing, I'm pretty new), I've been impressed that absolutely everybody lives the values every moment of every day.
What it looks like is a constant sharing of information and ideas, with even the newest employees being encouraged to contribute from day one. It's really very cool.
It's also important to note that this company has no offices anywhere. Everyone works from home, or from wherever. And we're spread around the world. It's wonderful to be free from commuting, to have extra hours added back to your day. And because remote work is what everybody in the company does, GitLab has figured out ways to do this well, from making it really easy to set up your home office, to providing all the communication tools and framework you need to be and feel connected to your colleagues at all times.
Cons
None. No, GitLab isn't perfect. But with a strong product to offer to customers, a tremendous growth trend, and a strong set of heartfelt values that includes a genuine desire to be improving everything about the company continuously, there aren't any long-term cons that I have spotted.
GitLab Response
6y
We really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a thorough review!
You mentioned something especially important about how we approach remote work. Many people these days are suddenly faced with working from home, but it’s not the same as being part of a team that’s engineered to fully embrace all-remote work. At GitLab, we’re intentional about building a culture that enables remote practices. Thanks for pointing that out!
Here's more on our approach to remote work for anyone interested: https://about.gitlab.com/company/culture/all-remote/
100% remote
Open-source, cutting edge product
Inclusive environment - lots of focus on diversity
Thorough on-boarding
All levels of the company are amazingly transparent
Growing VERY fast
Cons
Long interviewing process
Not a good option for someone who isn't self-organized
Growing VERY fast
GitLab Response
6y
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! You mentioned the need to be self-organized, which is definitely an important skill to have in any remote role. There are more helpful tips in this guide to getting started in a remote role: https://about.gitlab.com/company/culture/all-remote/getting-started/
I have worked remotely for several years and worked at GitLab remotely for 1 month. I must say that GitLab is light years ahead of most companies when it comes to creating the most efficient remote work environment. I think the key to their success is using tools to support their remote needs. I have listed a few below:
Recruiting Remotely
- Use Zoom for candidate interviews
Release Planning Remotely
- Use GitLab to track and Plan Software Releases
Agile Ceremonies
- Use Automated Slack Bot to facilitate daily Stand Ups across remote time zones
- Use GitLab to perform asynchronous Sprint Retrospectives
Meetings & Company Announcements
- Use Zoom and YouTube for Meetings & Company Announcements
Socializing Remotely
- Use Zoom for informal Coffee Chats
- Use Slack for various social channels