What is it like working for Dell? (Round Rock) Help! (Austin: sales, layoffs)

[Julester]

Hello everyone... guess you might call me a Yankee - I'm a Michigander and have been going through an interview process with Dell (RR area) for a marketing communications position... I've read previous posts that Dell is stressful to work for in the sales area but not sure how that would transcend for the PR/marketing area. Questions:

-What are the +'s/-'s for working at Dell?
- What is the work-life balance like there? (I have 2 kids under the age of 5... are they open to flex time or the ocassional work-from-home, etc.?)
- Any comments on benefits, vacation etc.?
- Overall culture?
- Future outlook of the company?

I realize I'm asking a lot, but any help would be greatly appreciated - this is such a great resource! Thanks to all and I'll stay in touch if the interviews progress! This would be an absolutely HUGE decision for me and my family so
I'm trying to find all the info I can. If there is another resource availabe, please let me know. Thanks so much in advance. Best - Julie

[Rnelson]

Well if you ask any Austenite that has worked for dell from the beginning you wouldn't like their answer. If you ask a Dell employ that has been working for less than a year its a great place. Never worked for dell but i do have lots of friends that worked their and my wife has friends that are employed today with dell. I think their are better jobs out their but for most people its a great job.

Sorry for the toe stepping but i dont have hands on relationship with dell.

[Julester]

Thanks for the information... what changed over time? What made it a better place to work recently?

I know I may be asking a community where people work for the company... but any information would be helpful. Also, are there other big companies in and around Round Rock area in case the Dell falls through? I hear that 3M is either coming or is there?

Thanks so much.

[gigi927]

3M is already here, right off the 2222 between the 360 and the 620. Both IBM and Cisco are also here, as well as a lot of smaller technology companies.

a lot of people in my immediate neighborhood work for Dell. I don't know any of them well enough to ask them how they like their jobs, though.

Good luck!

[categ]

We're in the process of relocating to the Austin area as my husband has a 2 yr assignment @ Dell Head Office.

He has worked at Dell for 10 years in the UK. From our experience Dell has a family-friendly approach - flexible working so my husband does the school run 2 days/week, paternity leave etc. And he has worked with colleagues who are mothers and have worked part-time & flexible hours.

I know our experience is not directly relevant to you. But I hope this gives you some idea of the Dell culture.

Good luck with your decision-making!

[Julester]

Thanks for the information Categ... appreciate it. Let me know where you end up landing in the Austin area... sounds like some wonderful places to live. I hope your relocation goes well... especially coming all that way! Are you looking forward to the move or are you sad to leave England? Do you have children? Best wishes to your family and thanks again for the information.

Let me know if anyone has any other thoughts on the work environment at the RR location! Thanks all.

[categ]

Yes - we are looking forward to the move but it's a bit daunting! My husband has been to Austin a lot but I've never been! We've got 2 kids aged 3 & 6.

Our biggest concern is settling our kids in (esp schools) & the summer heat! We're used to more temperate weather! Though our summers & winters are warming up (global warming?). Here in southern England we're warmer than Austin this week.

The postings here on the forum have provided really valuable info for us. Hope you get the info you need.

[tcyue]

oh wow, just came across this old post... I heard about bad news on dell:
There is a probability that they will still laying off people to drive that 10% reduction number: Dell: Confounded by Costs
after the layoffs in October this year, we are having a re-org. What I notice is that they freeze the hiring process (in some departments). People who survived the layoffs are leaving dell (resign), which really upsets me . These people really great people who know a lot of stuff.

Some folks are friendly team players(they help other ppl from EMEA and APJ regions as well) .... but I also deal with some senior folks who are smart but arrogant or they are too busy to reply to emails.... argh...

My job at dell did help me grow personally and professionally. But I think I will not stay at dell for the next 2 years. Will I recommend people to work here? maybe... if you enjoy working in a big company

[TedH71]

I've worked for Dell on and off in the manufacturing section. Was offered a perm job there that was $2 less than I was making at that time as a contract employee and said no. Ever since, I've been grateful that I didn't take the job offer. I've worked on and off for more than 4 years(different time spans) and can say I truly dislike working for them. They highly prefer you to be on time or else, you will be fired. They will work you to death and Mr Dell is very greedy. He has many contract employees who would love to be perm but he refuses because he does not want to pay benefits. His staff that work in the cafeterias and trash clean ups are all illegals. I've talked to them thru an translator. They're paid $7 an hour and if OT, they're still paid the same! The only reason he has gotten away with it is because a different company subcontracts with Mr Dell so if he gets busted, he won't but that other company will. He hates to give raises to perm people.

I had a friend who worked in R & D. He was fired bec the previous manager had marked him up as late twice for sleeping in his car on the parking lot during break time (he was always on time) and that maanger was super anal. She was eventually caught embelzzing and fired/arrested. New manager busted my friend once (he was sleeping during lunch break in HIS office!) and due to their 3 strikes rule, he was fired w/o due process.

Word of warning, it looks good on your resume but once you go past a year, look elsewhere. People will hire you if you have experience working for Mr. Dell. I would say 70-90% of his employees leave within 5 years.

[Mike78613]

Dell stinks. Wife worked for that lame company for 9 years in manufacturing. It was fun back in 1997 when it was off Braker and Metric. Ever since Mr. Michael Dell stepped down and let Kevin Rollins play ball as CEO and he started to hire those POS micro-management college grads from PAC10 that company went into a $hit-hole and become a sad company to work for. I don't blame Dell for what he has done. All those upper managers were stealing from him PLAIN and SIMPLE!

I left Dell in 2001. It was the best thing I ever did career wise here in Austin.