Applied Biosystems Reviews

Pros

People with legacy knowledge are valued and keep work on track saving time and frustration.
Yielding a better result for the whole team.

Cons

It has a conservative and academic feel that may seem like a pulse is missing.

Pros

The company has decent benefits when i worked there last. The small teams give you some autonomy while working with your co-workers.

Cons

The management is a mess. There's no clear direction for the company, and the organization is filled with waste and inefficiency.

Advice to Senior Management

A clear vision for the company, and having employee buy in would do wonders for morale. Things get lost in translation.

Pros

Good for career advancement. Lots of great people work here

Cons

Upper management has the appearance of being very disorganized.

Advice to Senior Management

Upper management should treat employees with more respect.

Pros

Great people. Management allows flexibility to grow career.

Cons

too many re-organizations. Upper management needs to give cohesive direction for company and communicate that down.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep the culture of promoting people from within the company to build employee loyalty. Give cohesive direction for company.

Pros

Lots of opportunity to gain exposure to different organizations and technologies. Generally a good place to learn the industry and best practice for product development.

Cons

Lots of jockeying for position in management. Focus on short term fixes rather than long term success. Moving up often requires movement between organizations.

Advice to Senior Management

Too much strategic planning and not enough execution of the plans. Employees are more than willing to strive for success, but need consistent guidance rather than rolling 6 month re-orgs.

Pros

Great place, if you are just wanting a job. That's all it is. Keep your head down, don't try to improve things, careful not to step on anyone's toes. Expect nothing. Just. Do. Your. Job...and you will be rewarded with very good pay and standard benefits and even an opportunity for bonus. The sales force is amazing to work with.

Cons

The worst career advancement opportunities, ever.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat everyone equally and careful not to condescend. I wasn't treated this way, but I witnessed it.

Pros

Flexible work hours help to create a good work life balance.

Cons

Little room for career growth without a PhD.

Advice to Senior Management

Look for ways to promote from within the company rather than hiring from outside.

Pros

Post merger with Invitrogen, AB changed from a very conservative and methodical company to a much more aggressive and more business and revenue focused (could also be con). Some very energetic and talented people, and leadership is very clear on communicating goals and initiatives. If you like to aggressively push the limits and thrive in a stressful/demanding environment, this is great place.

Cons

Pay is considered lower compared to similar. No work/life balance, which leads to burnout and high turnover. Projects running "red" are the norm and turnover makes it worse.

Advice to Senior Management

Get rid of the "everyone is expendable" mentality. You have chased away many passionate and talented people, and this places MORE burden on the remaining staff. You may be able to plug holes in the org chart, but brain drain and loss of customer relationships hurt.

Pros

flexible schedule, good benefits, above average raises, company cars are nice, generous expense account

Cons

technical support is weak, little room to move up, don't always follow thru on customer commitments, lots of politics, long hours, head quarters is in california but field engineers rarely get to go...home office

Advice to Senior Management

if what you do is working for you, then keep on doing it

Pros

excellent products that work well

Cons

customer service is limited to

Advice to Senior Management

become more customer focused
provide more technical content to sales reps
Increase benefits
Value the sales force
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