Leadership is a bit hit or miss here
Square Engineering has its ups and downs, particularly when it comes to leadership. As an engineer, you'll find some good support but also some real inconsistencies.
Some of the direct managers for us Software Engineers are genuinely supportive. They really try to give decent project guidance, which is good. There's also a pretty clear overall company vision, typical for big tech companies, that upper management communicates.
The biggest issue is inconsistent leadership across different backend development teams. It feels like certain departments in the San Francisco office get better resources and clearer direction than others. This makes career growth tough when your immediate leadership isn't always on the same page.
Standardize leadership training and expectations across all engineering departments, especially for developer roles. Make sure all team leads have the tools and authority to support their reports effectively.
