Currently self-employed and happy, but recently received a verbal offer to join Lockheed Martin Skunk Works as a cyber systems security engineer. I know next to nothing about the prestige, resume weight, etc. but every engineer I've told acts like it's a big deal. Thoughts? TC $170k
Skunk works is legendary engineering prestige
No prestige because you aren’t even allowed to tell people you work there or what you work on. Unless you want to be a target or break US laws
Am I really not allowed to put the words Skunk Works on my resume?
@ilikewlb, yes you can put Skunk Works on your resume. If you are working a classified program you can’t share what that program is.
What TC are they offering you?
Prestige means nothing when you get paid 🥜
Sad but true. 🦨
🥲
Negative. We all know you’re getting paid 90k plus it’s in bumfuck nowhere on the outskirts of LA
maybe if you were working on the U2 in the '50s
Terminal career that makes you feel good? Yes Will you impress your Google/Meta interviewers? No
I can dig it. I highly value job stability and I'm not a TC chaser. I just care about making enough to live well and retire.
Oh aerospace layoffs do happen and they are ruthless
It is a big deal. It is elite. It does command respect. These random opinions here can only name programs that went through there 25-30 years ago. They have no clue what happens there today. These guy’s hating on skunkworks will never do anything of impact. Palmdale is a tough spot to live in, but 2-3 years there will change the trajectory of your career.
Can confirm. Spent several years with skunk works in software and systems engineering and now I’m in management at a startup making a lot more.
I 3x’d my TC after leaving LM. though I’m pretty sure the increase was the act of leaving, not the experience itself 🤣
Yea just like everything to right people look up to right experience.