Toxic Company - Senior Software Development Engineer Harmonic Employee Review

1.0
14 May 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Stable, rarely layoff (at least for Hong Kong & Canada). - Company earning a lot, sales are good at making big deal (Although the pricing model is actually a bit recklessly and non-sense, but who cares, as long as the company earns). - Medical insurance is good. - Hong Kong Office location is great. - Flexible working hours and location.(Policy said 60% in office, but actually no one care, some people even remote work from China). - Canada relocation plan.

Cons

- Damn it management and HR. - A lot of fake review in glassdoor to boost the score. - The "management communication" means they notify/announce you things. They "encourage feedback" but just keep doing what they want. - Company using a wide range of tech stacks, both legacy and new, bad and good practices. But you will only work on a very narrow range of them, good luck to you. - A lot of VPs, directors, various managers with a small circle to brag themselves. But no one really try to invest more to do the real work. - Manager and HR got guideline to brainwashing you to stay in the company. Manager will keep saying they notice and thank you for your hard working and contribution, but they actually don't even remember what you did. HR will keep saying outside is risky, company will layoff, Harmonic is following market payscale and good paid already (which is a lie, they just follow the job title, but the skill and working experience is much higher requirement than other company). - A lot of specification and domain knowledge, lack of organized training. Hard to pick things up, especially if you are not a really active and strong self-learner. - Almost all talented and cheering colleagues are relocated to Canada. Hong Kong office is now spiritless. - Extremely squeezing on salary and ranking. - Senior+ level need 3 months notice period. - If you relocated to Canada, there is a two year lock-up period. During these two years, you will not be promoted and with only small amount of salary raise. Near the end of lock-up period, they will finally promote you to Senior for the 3 months notice period. - Using the SDE (L2) level so that they can further delaying promote you to the Senior. - SDE: 23k - 28k (0 - 2.5 yr) - SDE(L2): 28k - 36k (1.5 - 6 yr) - Sr SDE: 36k - 48k (4.5+ yr) - Staff SDE: 48k+ (6.5+ yr if married, 8+ yr if single) - People got promoted to senior with <5 working experience are really strong in tech, and they will just quit and find a 50k+ job. - If you are fresh grad, leave immediately once you got promoted to L2. Don't waste time for the later career path. It's not worth.

Explore other reviews about Harmonic

5.0
17 Jun 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1. Cutting-Edge Technology You may work with the latest in fiber optics, photonics, or broadband technologies. Opportunities to be part of innovative projects in high-speed data transmission, quantum communication, or telecom infrastructure. 2. Growth Industry The demand for high-speed internet and bandwidth continues to grow, which means job stability and potential career advancement. If they’re in the fiber-optic space, they’re part of a rapidly expanding industry with major global investment. 3. Learning Opportunities Exposure to advanced systems and tools. Cross-functional collaboration with engineers, techs, project managers, and R&D specialists can broaden your skillset.

Cons

Fast-Paced and High-Pressure Environment Tech and telecom companies often have tight deadlines and aggressive rollout schedules. Employees may be expected to adapt quickly to changes or handle multiple projects at once. 2. Limited Work-Life Balance Depending on your role, especially in operations, installations, or customer support, you might face long hours, weekend work, or on-call duties. 3. Risk of Burnout High expectations, evolving technology, and constant problem-solving can lead to fatigue if not well managed. Smaller teams may mean fewer people to share the workload.

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