Recent grads and mid-level career hunters don't be fooled by this company - Intern Caterpillar Employee Review

2.0
Nov 25, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The name. Period. Looks good on a resume. Intern salary is based on how many credit hours you took the semester before you start your internship, so if you are an ambitious student you can receive good pay for the four months.

Cons

Where do I begin. Caterpillar is a household name in Peoria, but when working there it seems that company business should be in a gossip column instead of the business page. It does not matter the hard work you put in at CAT, it is who you know and what you can do for them. The work environment is unprofessional and condescending. Upper management will mislead you and depending on the area you work for you may or may not ever be able to climb the corporate ladder. Watch out for empty promises for promotions. CAT's "Core Values" are a farce to cover up for their underlying scheming mentality. Do not take anything for face value. Unqualified people are being promoted where as the hard workers are being overlooked. It goes back to the whole 80/20 rule... 20 percent of the people are doing 80 percent of the work... but it is that 20 percent that is being overlooked.

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5.0
Jun 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits Great WLB Great pay

Cons

Low mobility to move up within company

2.0
Jun 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good health insurance and benefits, good yearly bonuses. The pay is good.

Cons

They are enforcing returning to office by any means necessary. They have lost many high-quality producers who have refused to relocate or refuse to come in. Here's the kicker - they are requiring in-person attendance at the Chicago office and there aren't even enough desks for everyone. It would be a literal fire hazard if we all came into the Chicago office at the same time, M-F, during business hours. No one knows how or if they are going to actually enforce this. Cost of gas is insane, Joe doesn't care about the workers. Or the work for that matter. It's obvious this is a soft layoff, they have made a bunch of people quit. Their internal design agency is falling apart, lots of people have quit, not only because of return to office but because of the toxic politics, favoritism, and lack of direction and accountability. Mediocre workers are allowed to keep their jobs ONLY because of their ability to put their bodies in a chair and work in-person. The other relocation option HR gave besides Chicago was Peoria. No one wants to live in Peoria for any reason whatsoever, be for real.

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