Instead (CA) Reviews

This is by far the most dysfunctional engineering environment I have experienced. The biggest issue is leadership. The CEO is based in the US and visits India occasionally, but when he does, the focus is rarely on the product, engineering problems, or long-term vision. Instead, an unbelievable amount of energy goes into micromanaging things that have nothing to do with building software. For example, during one of his visits he spent an entire week obsessing over seating arrangements. Developers were moved around repeatedly; the seating plan changed three times in a single week. There were Excel sheets tracking where people should sit, as if rearranging chairs was somehow going to fix the actual problems with the product. This gives the impression that the CEO has too much free time. Meanwhile, the product itself feels chaotic and directionless. Developers are routinely asked to start implementing features before the designs are finalized. Requirements change mid-development, designs keep evolving, and engineers are stuck in endless back-and-forth with designers. Instead of fixing this broken process, developers are blamed for delays. Deadlines are completely unrealistic. Large tickets are expected to be completed in 3–5 days regardless of complexity. When requirements change or scope expands (which happens constantly), management still expects the same timelines. There is also a strange “point system” used to track productivity. It ends up feeling less like engineering work and more like some kind of internal Hunger Games where developers are competing to maintain points while management monitors output numbers. If you take even a couple of days of leave, tasks get reassigned and later your performance is questioned because your “points” dropped. Work hours are officially 11 AM – 8 PM, but employees are frequently expected to attend late evening calls that stretch until 9:30 or even 10 PM, often without any real agenda. These calls can feel like long monologues rather than productive discussions, and there is no compensation for the extra hours. The leadership team also lacks strong technical depth. The CPO often struggles to contribute meaningfully in technical discussions, which makes calls awkward and unproductive for engineers who are actually trying to solve problems. There are also moments that make you question the professionalism of leadership. In one meeting, while trying to explain the concept of “catfishing,” the CEO literally opened a browser and showed a catfish image to the entire call. It was bizarre and unnecessary, and perfectly captured the lack of seriousness in leadership communication. Overall, the culture feels exploitative and unpredictable. Employees are treated as easily replaceable resources rather than professionals. Despite the perks and promises during hiring, the internal reality is very different. It’s all a trap. Don’t believe the “vision” they talk about, they don’t have one. A lot of big promises are made during hiring, but the reality inside the company is very different. Don’t scar your resume by putting Instead on it. If you’re early in your career, invest that time in improving your skills instead, work on DSA, system design, and your fundamentals. There are far better places where you can grow as an engineer and be treated with respect. This is not one of them. Otherwise, you’ll likely end up feeling less like an engineer and more like a replaceable resource