What's Dell like to work for?

JackieChang

I got a job offer.

The job is a mix of remote and office. It can be 100% remote if I like. It's an analyst / business intelligence role.

For some reason I am imagining it as a sort of boring place to work. I'm in my 30s, and I have a feeling I'll be surrounded by older, dry corporatey types.

I would just take the job, but I have another offer on the table for a place with a better culture. As in the place has a pool table for example. The colleagues go for pints etc. However the salary is lower than Dell.

grogi

JackieChang wrote: »

I got a job offer.

The job is a mix of remote and office. It can be 100% remote if I like. It's an analyst / business intelligence role.

For some reason I am imagining it as a sort of boring place to work. I'm in my 30s, and I have a feeling I'll be surrounded by older, dry corporatey types.

I would just take the job, but I have another offer on the table for a place with a better culture. As in the place has a pool table for example. The colleagues go for pints etc. However the salary is lower than Dell.

Clearly the pool table is important to you... Is there a fussball table as well?

JackieChang

grogi wrote: »

Clearly the pool table is important to you... Is there a fussball table as well?

To be honest, after working from home for the pandemic, I think I need somewhere like this.

The Dell team members will be entirely remote, in different countries. I will have a desk in Dell if I want to go into an office, but will only meet my colleagues on zoom. I know this sounds great for some people.

Heckler

i know all companies are in the game to make money but Dell are exceptionally cut throat. They would throw you and your family under the nearest bus if it suited them.

glog

Heckler wrote: »

i know all companies are in the game to make money but Dell are exceptionally cut throat. They would throw you and your family under the nearest bus if it suited them.

Wow - strong words indeed.
Can you elaborate or even state what this is based on?

FlubberJones

Heckler wrote: »

i know all companies are in the game to make money but Dell are exceptionally cut throat. They would throw you and your family under the nearest bus if it suited them.

I would have to disagree with this, they're not cut throat and the individuals in Dell are treat VERY well.

grogi

Dell has 165,000 employees worldwide. With a number like that comes variety - various people and various backgrounds, but also various divisions and groups. Some will be ruthless, some like family and some like best friends. It is impossible to tell how it will turn out unless you'll ask someone that reports to the same person as you will.

From my experience, a company that offers a pool table does usually care more about the optics than actually caring about the employees. Entertainment room + canteen + shower room + nap room = you are expected to never leave... ;P

RINO87

Dell wouldn't be known as paying the best, which is something to think about if the pool table job pays lower

Blitzkrieger

With any big company you're going to get a lot of variety. The biggest influences are your manager and your team. Some managers are arseholes and some teams are not very social, but I know some people who love working there and some teams socialise more than others. By the sounds of things most of these are going to be remote, but Dell do have a sports and social club and do actively try to get people to go to events. From what I hear, though the age profile in Cork is relatively high, the data analysis people are mostly younger.

I'm always wary of places that promote their pool table and culture too much. Sometimes you hear these places actually work people to death, actually using the pool table is frowned upon, and going drinking is a way to try and release the tension. Also, is it that important to have those sorts of relationships at work? Personally I mostly want to leave work behind when I leave. I do know people who work in places with a lower age profile that do celebrate on Fridays and do have a great work/life balance though.

I don't really want to influence you (OP) either way; just be aware that it can be difficult to know exactly what you're getting into when they're recruiting you, and try to assess what's really important.

Bacchus

As an actual employee of Dell in Cork... Yes, it's a large company so it lacks the fuzzball, cake on Friday's vibe you might get with startups or SMEs, but I've been here over 5 years, working in two different teams and I find it a very inclusive and enjoyable place to work. They've a strong culture of recognition and rewarding good work. Leadership are very transparent and keep lines of communication open. They had a shaky start adjusting to the pandemic but they have been massively supportive of putting family first (in my own experience) as we dealt with WFH, and no school/childcare. It's not what I'd call a boring place to work either. Just because a company is large and been around a long time doesn't mean it's a dinosaur. Pre-Covid, there were a decent amount of social events and clubs on the go. The team I'm in had regular stuff like Halloween parties, hackathons, etc. TBH, it probably is a bit hard to nail down what YOUR experience will be like as it will vary from team to team.

RebelButtMunch

It's a tough call OP.
Also depends somewhat on your home situation. Dell sounds like, while a bit dry, might be better for someone who has kids at home. Do you want to be surrounded by whippersnappers who have only themselves to consider when you're worried or planning about your family situation etc.

cantalach

JackieChang wrote: »

I got a job offer.

The job is a mix of remote and office. It can be 100% remote if I like. It's an analyst / business intelligence role.

For some reason I am imagining it as a sort of boring place to work. I'm in my 30s, and I have a feeling I'll be surrounded by older, dry corporatey types.

I would just take the job, but I have another offer on the table for a place with a better culture. As in the place has a pool table for example. The colleagues go for pints etc. However the salary is lower than Dell.

If you're judging the company culture by the absence of a pool table and the age (or perceived age) of your future colleagues, then you are both naive and ageist.

snotboogie

I have a few friends working there. Their presence in Ireland has changed a lot, they were originally a manufacturing facility in Limerick but now more closely resemble other tech companies in Ireland with a lot of Finance, IT and Supply Chain office roles. The cutthroat reputation comes from their old presence and how they left, now they seem pretty open and fair and pay well. The biggest complaint my friends had was the facilities, some of them were stuck in portacabins out in Ovens. Other than that they were good.

-Toppy-

Not many portacabins left out there now - they demolished at least 4 (2 at the front and 2 at the side) during lockdown - think there is 2 big ones left at the side

source : me - I used work in one of those portacabins wfh instead :)