suck up to move up if you want good compensation - Anonymous employee KLA Employee Review

1.0
25 Sept 2021
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

many exceptional talents at director and below levels... Execs are very nice on the surface and often thanks ppl below them.. ok..

Cons

Some ppl in VP levels aren't really competent but got promoted bc they suck up to the management. nothing else. Below VP level, you are asked for perfection on your performance - 100% peer reviews, high performance, etc. Yet, at exec levels, many ppl with significant flaws/shortcomings. Some VPs don't understand key market dynamics or technology of their products. they just go with the wind. "HFC" is a joke. Various comp for non-VP are crap. No chance for biz class flights, health compensation gets cut every ~2yrs for "improved package" per HR. Of course, base + bonus is below peers. IT is way understaffed to fix your computers on time. They love to spend energy to cut every corner for higher profits.

Explore other reviews about KLA

5.0
10 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Strong technical depth and industry leadership. Talented colleagues and meaningful work.

Cons

Organizational processes can be relatively conservative. The skills developed are highly valuable within semiconductor equipment and imaging-related industries but may be less directly transferable to unrelated sectors.

1.0
5 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you’re looking for a place where accountability doesn’t exist and you can do the bare minimum while getting paid maximum overtime, this is your spot. No approval needed, no questions asked—just stay late, watch YouTube, and collect your paycheck (plus free food if you linger long enough). Weekends are basically a free-for-all since the people who are supposed to supervise are either absent or the worst offenders.

Cons

This place is what happens when a parent company buys a smaller one and then completely forgets it exists. There is zero meaningful oversight. Management knows exactly what’s going on—they just don’t care as long as quotas are eventually met. Efficiency, integrity, and actual productivity mean nothing here. Documentation is either nonexistent or completely useless, full of errors and missing critical information. Parts are constantly missing, and instead of fixing the system, people exploit it to justify delays and stretch their hours. The entire operation rewards time-wasting over competence. The culture actively punishes anyone who tries to work a normal, honest 8-hour day. Want recognition or a raise? Better start padding your hours. The more time you burn, the more management “appreciates” you. It’s not about results—it’s about how long you can pretend to be working. Managers, being salaried, conveniently disappear when it matters most—nights and weekends—while turning a blind eye to the dysfunction they fully understand. Leadership isn’t absent by accident; it’s absent by choice.

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