Pros
The benefits package is great and I paid between $20-$40 co-pays for medical appointments. There is an onsite Wellness Clinic located at the Carlsbad campus and this was a wonderful resource. The flex time is also good and allows for employees to choose their own work hours. While the company allows employees to work from home, there is no clearly defined policy therefore it’s up to manager’s discretion, ahem, favorites.
Cons
Hiring manager satisfaction is low and this is evident by observing the relationship between the technical business areas and the People and Culture department. The People and Culture department is very political and drama filled. Management promotes a hostile work environment that fuels the high turnover rate, especially within the University Recruiting group. I’ve never seen such high senior leadership turnover within a corporate Talent Acquisition department! Why is Viasat unable to keep a TA leader for more than 6 months? There is a lack of accessible, accurate and meaningful TA metrics. Constant complaints about the speed and quality of hiring efforts are correct. At Viasat, nepotism is a flagrant problem that disrupts workplace satisfaction and results in unsavory recruiting practices. This nepotistic hiring practice doesn’t ensure a well-rounded program of the BEST candidates, it ensures that kids get to work with their parents over the summer. Several times, I was directed by management to hire a candidate who was not qualified for the role, purely because he/she was a relative of senior leadership. There is very little LGBT or minority representation within the intern program. This should be a huge red flag to potential candidates, as well as senior management. My time at Viasat was disappointing due to the lack of career development and growth. There are no formal training programs during onboarding and orientation. TA is plagued with outdated and non-existent technology for attracting, managing and selecting candidates. It’s a sink or swim environment that prides itself on tolerating ambiguity, but without policies and procedures, the company commits unfair hiring practices. I’m not sure the recruiting department would survive an audit.