My fiancé just recently started a job at AMAT as a process engineer. During the interview she specifically asked about the schedule, WLB, all that. They (manager and lead) said it was flexible, you set your own hours, is pretty relaxing, and can leave whenever you if you finish early (although the question becomes how often can one finish early). Now that she’s started, suddenly there’s an incredibly erratic schedule where you don’t know your hours until the day before and changes periodically throughout the day (can be from 9AM - 11PM). They now want her on the 2PM-10PM shift, there is no setting your own hours. It’s an incredibly high pressure environment and not relaxing at all. The lead also mentioned to other employees not to tell her that it was this type of work environment to not scare her away. I understand that in the semiconductor industry this is common, as my colleagues tell me stories from Intel Oregon fab and other companies like Lam Research. But if my fiancé wasn’t misled then she wouldn’t have taken the offer. I support her regardless if she enjoyed it and didn’t mind, but she’s upset and incredibly stressed about losing her WLB. The sad part is the sign on bonus is paid out over 2 years… not sure how common that is, but that seems like an incredibly long time. Should she tough it out for a while longer or just GTFO?
That sucks but tbh no interviewer is going to be super honest with these questions. You'll always get template answers. Should've probably checked reviews online or asked around more before going. Anyway forget the sign on bonus. She'll probably get the same or more for her next gig. Start interviewing and jump!
Tough it out for a while, AND then GTFO.
Just my opinion, leave as soon as she can. If they lie like that to bring you on it's only going to get worse. I can't imagine any way in which a situation like that gets better/becomes more enjoyable
Leave but sadly not too many process engineering roles in the Valley now, try LAM?
Unfortunately WLB is one of those things that needs to be set by the employee. Clear communication needs to be had and alignment with her manager on task priorities. If task 3 doesn't get done because it's end of day, then it'll wait for the morning. Either it's respected and she remains in the group with better WLB, or it's not and she leaves in the next couple of months. Will she get the big bonuses and raises doing this? No. Will she still get some raises and bonuses if she does high quality work? Yes.
Sign on is usually a single sign on bonus. Thats how it was for me..whats the tc split. This is very common in AMAT especially process engineers.
She can change groups internally in AMAT. No all groups are like that
Sounds typical for AMAT. Shop around and leave if you find something better. Always ask about WLB and team culture through your professional/social networks.
I also need to know if there are any groups in AMAT with good work life balance?
GTFO, especially now as the market is great. Let me know if you find something relevant in Lam and need a ref. Such sudden worsening of WLB and erratic schedule can happen if the role is heavily about customer support or maintenance, and there is an immediate and unexpected problem. But in this case her manager already knows this is the nature of the role, and she should have been told about it. Don't worry too much about the sign on bonus. You can look for a new job and negotiate it to be covered
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Two years … that’s a long time The total comp tho Depends on how much she wants to sell her soul for