Good, but not great - Senior Applications Development Specialist Cabot Employee Review

4.0
15 Nov 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Safety Work-life balance Good Analytical Department Opportunity Flexibility Mostly good people with a healthy work environment

Cons

Lower Salaries Glacially-slow promotion process lacking standardization Lack of support staff means scientists and engineers are spending most of their time doing tasks irrelevant to their job descriptions. Corporation assumes a PhD and project management experience suffices to manage others in any field, and moves them like chess pieces. Often such "managers" have far less experience than those they manage and this leads to frustration and resentment of their subordinates. Little is ever done to correct these poor managerial choices. Frequent organizational changes means you may have several bosses throughout the year and there will be little justice considered during the annual performance review, which turns into merely a popularity contest anyway. This event is where managers argue and fight for better ratings for their direct reports. Your performance rating will depend on the strength of your supervisors voice. When you are allowed to have your performance review with your supervisor, your performance rating has already been determined by the round-table discussion, of which you will have no knowledge, since it is forbidden to discuss what transpires there. In recent years, employees have been invited to write a self-assessment for the previous year, but it is unclear if this information ever reaches the table for the HR discussion on raises or salary adjustments. The Company suffers from the virtue signaling we are seeing everywhere regrading "diversity and inclusion."

Explore other reviews about Cabot

5.0
30 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good team, great benefits, great work life balance.

Cons

Chemical industry, so change is slow.

2.0
11 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Some good people and good location around Boston area.

Cons

Cabot did not feel like an employee-focused company during my time there. I observed multiple layoffs, including employees who had been hired only a few months earlier. The work environment was often very stressful, with heavy workloads and frequent organizational changes. Communication across different management layers was sometimes inconsistent, leading to mixed messages and unclear priorities. Before accepting a position, I would encourage candidates to carefully evaluate the role, team, and long-term stability of the organization. Significant changes can occur quickly, and it's important to understand the potential impact on work-life balance and career plans.

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