Freescale Semiconductor Reviews in Phoenix, AZ Area

Pros

excellent experience in different areas on the business.

Cons

only problem was finding placement after the rotation

Advice to Senior Management

only hire as much as you can find placement for, not more.

Pros

Paid time off was good perhaps better than some other companies. Compensation was about average for the semiconductor industry. Work hours somewhat flexible.

Cons

1) Freescale has divested most of their internal R&D capability. The mentally that the grass is greener in the neighbor's yard prevails.

2) Freescale is painfully lacking forward looking innovative development projects with any kind of real focus.

3) A series of Freescale management mistakes effectively destroyed the wireless business, which was approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of the company revenue.

4) The Networking business (i.e. DSP and network microprocessors) is significantly smaller than that of TI or ST and has failed to grow comensurate with the rest of the semiconductor industry.

5) Freescale's bread and butter business (automotive/ standard products) has suffered tremendously due to a strong connection with US auto makers and a failure to adequately penetrate the asian auto makers.

6) Freescale has an enormous debt load that is crippling investment in key technologies for future growth.

Unfortunately, the innovative sprit of Freescale's Motorola past has completely vanished. Freescale is desperately trying to hold on as a me too player in a very competive and commoditized market place.

Advice to Senior Management

It is likely too late to develop a leading edge company from the ashes. Do your best to become a semi-stable LSI Logic or Linear Technologies.

Pros

Good internship program that often leads to full time job for its participants. Salary and benefits were good. Engineering rotation program was a great training program for new grads until it was eliminated in Feb '09, probably never to return again.

Cons

People constantly on edge about who is going to get laid off next. Hurts morale and worker performance. Not a very social atmosphere, people stuck to themselves in their cubicles. Lost Motorola as a customer, so in desperate need of a big customer. Cost cutting measures to continue until they find one.

Advice to Senior Management

Too much debt really hindered them from being able to do anything. Took too long to divest the cellular group, when they announced that they were going to do in Sept '08, an already desparate measure--these deals are usually done behind close doors. Worker morale plunged.

Pros

Experience with other personnel worldwide is invaluable. Being a member of a worldwide team and interfacing with other employees, Distributors and Customers more than justifies working for a company such as Freescale Semiconductor. There have been lots of cutbacks, layoffs and etc due to the economic recession, but Freescale is still the third largest semiconductor company in the world and we are growing. Everything always changes and being flexible to change and adapt is what makes working here that much more enjoyable. You're not a robot on an assembly line but an employee that can openly discuss issues and needs with management and have the flexability to adapt to new situations and jobs as the need arises.

Cons

Mobility in the company is extremely slow and is in not uncommon to remain in the same job position for 10 years before something else presents itself. The company does support continued education but no incentives or promotions are offered once new levels are reached.
Like the military, you have to wait for someone else to retire or 'voluntarily' leave the company before a position may become available for a lateral move or promotion.

Advice to Senior Management

Take the time to recognize those employees that make management look good and reward them accordingly. Employees Performance Reviews should consider how long they have been in their current position, whether they are happy or content where they are now, and what are their short, medium and long term goals.

Pros

Good pay and benefits. I worked there for 13 years. Used to be Motorola. Leverage buyout resulted in a lot of debt - too much debt. Makes chips for automotive and cell phone markets. High quality and reliability of products is a must for this market. Professional and knowledgable employees. Allow personal time and good work life balance.

Cons

Losing competitiveness with Asia companies. Company is really struggling now. High technology used to be a good market to work in, but now it is down, way down. Probabaly best if Freescale merges with someone like ST or TI. They need a twelve inch fab in USA, but cannot afford one now.

Advice to Senior Management

Become more efficient, merge with another company

Pros

I have worked for Freescale for 14 years. I am a single mom with four children. I work in the manufacturing part of the company. This is a great company with excellent benefits. They care about their associates and try to work with them not against them. They make great products, We have parts in the Blackberry, Electrolux Steam Dryer, Samsung Flat Screen Televisions, several micro controllers for automotive.There are so many things we make that we use in our every day lives. They care about 5s and follow the rules to make sure the plant is running a clean and safe work environment. I would buy any of these products they are a trust worthy company and I trust everything that I make even the air bags for my kids when I drive them in my car.The CEOS for Freescale all took a pay cut to try and help us through the economic crisis. I am proud of them for making these choices while other executives on Wall Street are giving themselves bonuses in this critical time.

Cons

They are 12 hour sifts in Manufacturing. They are long days but it is nice to have the three and four days off every other weekto spend with your family.

Advice to Senior Management

I thank them for making the neccessay cuts to keep us in business.

Pros

Freescale definitely provides good work-life balance. They were rated one of the top 25 employers for women in Arizona, and they do offer flex-time (though your ability to take it depends on your manager). Also great benefits...22 days of paid time off per year your first year of employment. Decent compensation.

Cons

Inefficient work practices; tendency to jump on latest business trends; ineffectiveness of upper management to instill confidence in employees; poor communication between business units and functional areas. Difficult to advance, but a good stepping stone for a future career elsewhere.

Advice to Senior Management

With a new CEO, he wants to make his mark. But I'd say ease up on the layoffs of other senior management and focus on the company's direction...and stop with the business jargon; give it to us straight (but does any CEO do that?).

Pros

Good work/life balance. Most managers are flexible when you need time off assuming you are there when they really need you.

Cons

Some groups are too territorial and unwilling to share information that would benefit the company as a whole. There are still a lot of 'old school' employees who complain about everything and seem to be just treading water until they retire.

Advice to Senior Management

Work on openness and sharing among the different business groups and fabs.

Pros

They continue to pay well to keep employees from wandering off to more satisfying jobs elsewhere.

Cons

Employee loyalty toward the company is non-existant because company loyalty to the employee disappeared when the company was spun off. The "if-you-don't-like-it, leave" attitude is prevalent but in todays job market, that's pretty much not an option. Also, your single job is likely to be replaced by multiple overseas personnel in Malaysia or China.

Advice to Senior Management

Start focusing in sales and new customers instead of expense reductions and out-sourcing jobs to Asian facilities. Also decide if you want to reclaim the now-lost quality performance that once existed or continue to focus on new owner investment returns.

Pros

It's better than being unemployed. Actually the people here are some of the best I've worked with. If it wasn't for the team I lead and the team I am apart of, I would have left a long time ago

Cons

Company focus has changed from customers to profit margins. Efforts to achievethis end center on cutting cost and not on growing the business. The owners do not understand the cost of quality and the leadership doesn't seem empowered to challenge their decisions. People who work for Freescale are viewed as disposable assets. Opportunity for growth is limited due to our inability to growth the top end. With all the cost cutting, groups are now in conflict over who pays for what and teamwork is suffering.

Advice to Senior Management

Look for another employer before your reputation is destroyed.