Pros
My general point would be: If you see a position that strikes your interest, definitely follow through the interview process at least until you have had a chance to talk to the potential future team. You will get honest answers, and a good impression of the job. I have been impressed from the start by the companies approach.
- Engineers first: In our team, we are trusted to make our own decisions and drive our product area. Some people prefer work that is packaged, specced out fully, and presented ready to act on, but for myself, I value more this team driven product approach. We aniticipate, prioritise, pick up the pieces of work that we decide are most valuable or necessary.
- Effective PMs: I have been in companies where PMs push feature upon feature without considering team impact, cost, end result and value. Here, our PM is asking all the right questions and is really a bridge with various teams we build our product for. This really makes a big difference in keeping engineers out of long meetings.
- Work culture is fully scandinavian. You shine through work delivered, not hours at the office. I felt this was shown further in how fast the company effectively transitioned to WFH early in the Covid-19 pandemic, including in the US.
- Actually, that is a point by itself. The management team shined on the pandemic response. Quick communication, open questions and answers, clear tactics, fast delivery of physical support across all offices.
Over the past year, you can see the effects of a rapid growth on the company. Unity, and especially the management teams, are really aware of the value of the original company culture. It might have changed since its inception (according to conversations with long time employees), but coming from a mega-corp, I saw things that really appealed to me in their approach. I feel more valued and considered as an engineer, and that had a big impact on my daily life.
The interview process was very personal. Direct, open conversation with the team and various bits of management. No interview technical questions but instead conversations about my previous experience, and some questions from me on the product and team I would be working with.
Cons
My experience might have been positive, but I have also heard from other engineers that are disillusioned by their managers, or even the companies response to some of their requirements or concerns. My advice would be to really prod about the team during the interview.
The company is shifting gears as it grows in size, and some of the usual corporate stuff starts to seep in, in what I would describe as "United States-isation". The management communicates well about their intentions behind everything, but in the end, we still end up stuck with job levels, like any other tech company, for example.
