production associate

software engineer

intern

automotive technician

material handler

Tesla

I worked for Tesla for a year and a half before being laid off. I enjoyed my position, and knew the ever-changing policies in-and-out. It is true that they change policies more often than it is possible to keep up with. It's also true that if you're a fast-paced, collaborative worker, you probably will anyway. 

They'd routinely change policies and critical systems overnight with little warning, and training for the new system would occur on the day it launched, resulting in an inefficient work environment where you spent much of your working hours figuring out how they wanted you to do your job. That is, if the systems you needed were up and running at all. It seemed like they were constantly cutting bandwidth to see how little they could get away with, because even existing systems would get slower and slower and less stable every month. Maintaining a consistent workflow was almost impossible.

My job was paid hourly, and though I was repeatedly informed that overtime was not required, if I didn't work overtime, then not all of the work would get done, because our team was THAT understaffed. In the call center environment, we would often have customers waiting upwards of an hour to reach someone, if they did at all. Then they cut the team by an additional 20%. As you could imagine, morale was not great.

A result of the layoff cycle is that the entire team is anxious about whether they'll have a job in the coming  weeks, all the time. This is true regardless of your seniority. The entire time I was there, I was reassured that my performance was great and that I wasn't being considered for termination. It's unclear what metrics they used to decide who would and wouldn't be kept, but it wasn't performance or seniority, because people who had worked there the longest were routinely laid off. Semi-annually, they will cut about 20% of your team when you're already struggling just to get through a fraction of the work your team is assigned. When morale is high, and your team is finally given the resources to meet your goals, they'll shoot them in the foot and the cycle starts again.

If you go above and beyond, and exceed expectations, then that will become your new quota-- not on paper, but anything less will be disappointing. High performance may get recognized once in a blue moon, but IF it does result in a compensation increase, well, it'll be in restricted stock that won't vest before you're laid off.

There are some reviews on here that are clearly either fake or from people who're really drinking the kool-aid, so to speak. This company had great potential, but it's being torn apart by an executive team with no focus. If they stuck to the mission instead of focusing on making things as hard as possible for their employees, they wouldn't have such terrible customer reviews. 

Often my team would want to do things to help escalated customers, but there was so much work there was nothing we could do to help. It's hard to believe in the mission when the executive team is so clearly focused elsewhere. 

The environment was good, and I enjoyed my co-workers, but there's only so much comaraderie to be had when the turnover rate is so high. And it wasn't necessarily high because people left, but because they were cut, which makes no sense when your position requires extensive training.

All in all, it's a good job, but not a good career. I'd hoped to work for this company for a long time, because I really did enjoy the culture and the mission.

Elon, on Twitter, wrote that 'no one ever changed the world on 40 hours a week.' Well, if your workers have any self-respect, it's the only way you will.

What is the best part of working at the company?
My best work for Tesla culminated in a transformative twelve-week tenure, where I had the privilege to showcase my expertise in thermal mechanics, problem-solving, and coding. I explored and implemented creative strategies that significantly improved our processes. Through the steadfast support and expertise shared by my mentors, I turned ambitious ideas into reality and acquired a depth of database-related skills, including proficiency in SQL, spreadsheet management, and data mining and analysis.

One of my key accomplishments was engineering automated Jupyter Notebook pipelines for query flagging, which streamlined issue identification and resolution. Additionally, I synthesized thermal-mechanics insights with Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to develop actionable strategies for identifying and resolving failure cases. This enhanced the reliability and performance of our industrial energy products and improved our team's efficiency in troubleshooting and technical support.

Throughout this project, I optimized strategies to address customer concerns and proactively prevent future issues, demonstrating my ability to deliver tangible improvements to Tesla's industrial energy storage solutions. This experience has equipped me with invaluable skills and confidence to make a meaningful impact in engineering and beyond.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful part about working at the company is managing the high expectations and rapid pace of innovation. Constantly staying ahead in a highly competitive and fast-evolving industry requires dedication, adaptability, and quick problem-solving. Balancing multiple projects, meeting tight deadlines, and ensuring the highest quality and performance standards can be challenging. The pressure to continuously improve and implement cutting-edge solutions while maintaining effective communication and collaboration across various teams adds to the stress. However, these challenges also drive personal and professional growth, making the work incredibly rewarding.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
highly competitive and fast-evolving

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day at the company involves a mix of technical problem-solving, collaboration, and continuous learning. My day usually starts with checking emails and updating project statuses to stay on top of any developments or issues that need immediate attention. I then dive into coding and data analysis tasks, working on optimizing firmware for Bitcoin mining hardware or developing automated pipelines.

Mid-morning often includes meetings with cross-functional teams to discuss project progress, troubleshoot issues, and plan next steps. These meetings are essential for ensuring smooth solutions integration and aligning our efforts towards common goals.

Afternoons are typically reserved for hands-on work, such as testing and deploying firmware, analyzing performance data, and documenting results. I also spend time interacting with customers, providing technical support, and addressing any concerns they might have.

Throughout the day, I stay updated on the latest industry trends and technological advancements, which helps identify new opportunities for improvement and innovation. The dynamic and fast-paced environment keeps me engaged and motivated, making each day both challenging and rewarding.

TLDR; Come for the word 'TESLA' on your resume. Leave for your sanity.

Being hired early on in Buffalo to the AP team, I only spent a few months as a Data Annotation Specialist before being promoted (?) to LEAD Data Annotation Specialist. 

Pros: You meet a lot of cool folks. Vision insurance is top notch.

Cons: Basically, everything else. 

Imagine a company whose mission statement is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. Now imagine that same company asking 500+ people to travel to a warehouse/factory to sit at a desk for 8 (EXACTLY 8, don't you dare go over or under) hours doing something that can 100% be done at home. Consider the gasoline, time, money, emissions, and traffic build up from 500+ people going to ONE place every day, for no decent reason. Does that seem sustainable to you? 

You accrue Vacation/Sick time at a snail's pace. If you are out of 'sick' time, but have a plethora of 'vacation' time, and have to go home in the middle of the day, you will be forced to take an attendance occurrence instead of the leadership team compromising and pulling from your vacation bank due to PoLiCy. If you run out of sick time, you are literally SOL, and will NOT be allowed to leave without points against you (that inhibit your ability for any promotions, oops). And you accrue 1.33 hours of sick time a week. To get one full 8 hour sick day, it'll take you over a month. Imagine trying to schedule doctor's appointments, go to your kid's school events, be home for maintenance, whatever, due to not having any sick time. 

You will be micromanaged up the wazoo. As a Lead, I had to meet with folks for missing their productive hour goals by minutes. If you have a bad day, and produce data at 88% quality instead of the 90% goal, expect entirely to 'have a sync with your lead'. Your lead, who talks to you every day, will be empathetic and understand you had an off day. But when your Lead reports to your supervisor, they will have to come up with some tangible reason (ie, "They struggled to understand XYZ which I've corrected" "They accidentally submitted which we've talked about avoiding" "We've come up with an action plan to avoid this in the future") all of which would be BS because we know that, as humans do, you just had an off day. It HAD to be a reason that could be documented and be corrected. You can't correct being a human.

Your pay will stay the same no matter how good you do. Yes, some folks get raises. But it is just a few bucks (which you'll spend on gas traveling to the factory), and honestly, (and those who GET raises will agree with me) often times raises are granted to folks who are less objectively 'deserving' of them than others. 

The leadership is disgusting. A lot of blame is placed on supervisors (mainly for the reasons I described above), but truly, many of them are amazingly humane people who are just taking orders from the AMs above them. They hire Leads to LEAD and to mitigate issues, however leads are never trusted. We bring up issues, and we are __literally__ told, "That is not an issue".

People aren't understanding this. "Yes they are."
We could do this better. "Why would we change it?"
Let's let people decorate their desks for the holiday season. "Sure, but no Santa hats or fir trees."

It's just BONKERS. Upper leadership just wants everyone to silently suffer and act like there is ZERO room for improvement. 

I can't help but think that the pay is so minimal, the benefits are so minimal, PTO accrual is so minimal, and time spent on training is so minimal, AS A RESULT of high turnover. And people will always be replaceable because, who doesn't wanna work for TESLA? 

The AP department is a house build on sand, and tides are rising. Milk this place for what it can give you, and then leave.

Working as a Tesla Advisor has been one of the most exhilarating and rewarding experiences of my career. Tesla, a pioneer in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, is not just a company; it’s a revolution in motion. As an Advisor, I’ve had the unique opportunity to be at the forefront of this innovation, guiding customers through their journey with Tesla.

1. Impactful Work Environment:

From day one, it was clear that Tesla is committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible. The work environment is dynamic, fast-paced, and deeply rooted in a mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. This sense of purpose makes every task feel significant, and it’s incredibly motivating to be part of a team with such a clear and ambitious vision.

2. Engaging Customer Interactions:

One of the most fulfilling aspects of being a Tesla Advisor is the interaction with customers. Every conversation is an opportunity to educate and inspire. Whether I’m explaining the benefits of Tesla’s advanced autopilot features or helping a customer understand the savings from switching to an EV, it’s gratifying to see the excitement and satisfaction in their eyes. The role demands a thorough understanding of Tesla’s products and services, but the comprehensive training provided ensures that you’re well-equipped to meet these demands.

3. Innovative Product Knowledge:

Tesla’s products are at the cutting edge of automotive technology. Staying up-to-date with the latest developments in EVs, solar energy solutions, and battery technology is both challenging and exhilarating. As an Advisor, you’re constantly learning and adapting, which keeps the job fresh and intellectually stimulating. Tesla’s commitment to innovation means there’s always something new to explore and share with customers.

4. Collaborative and Supportive Culture:

The team environment at Tesla is one of collaboration and mutual support. Colleagues are passionate, knowledgeable, and always willing to lend a hand. The company fosters a culture of openness, where ideas are valued, and feedback is encouraged. This collaborative spirit not only enhances personal growth but also contributes to a collective drive towards achieving Tesla’s ambitious goals.

5. Fast-Paced and Demanding:

While the role is incredibly rewarding, it’s also fast-paced and can be demanding. The high expectations and rapid evolution of Tesla’s offerings require Advisors to be adaptable and proactive. Balancing the need for thorough customer support with the pace of technological advancements can be challenging, but it’s also what makes the job exciting and engaging.

Conclusion:

Being a Tesla Advisor is more than just a job – it’s a chance to be part of a groundbreaking movement in the automotive and energy sectors. The role offers an unparalleled opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology, engage with passionate customers, and contribute to a sustainable future. If you thrive in a high-energy environment and are excited by the prospect of being on the front lines of innovation, then this role is a perfect fit.

In short, my time as a Tesla Advisor has been a thrilling ride, and I look forward to the continued journey with Tesla’s remarkable mission.

What can I say about my time at the giga factory TX? 

It is both a marvel how something so amazing in size comes together from nothing and simultaneously disappointing how chaotically inefficient it runs compared to expectations. It is both exactly what you would expect and completely opposite at the same time. 

While there are some great people in the mix and there is a lot of opportunity for career growth and promotions, the truth is that Tesla is appealing because of its name, but does not translate when it comes to job satisfaction, culture and support. In essence it is the blind leading the blind. Yeah, the engineers have a wealth of knowledge, but communication, standards and cooperation seem to be inconsistent at best and entirely absent at worst. 

Outside of orientation and maybe a crash overview course the first week, training is almost non-existent along with support from supervisors and management. There are a lot of recognitions things used haphazardly, but it's as if it is to distract from the chaos and the soul crushing inefficiency of operations. This is perhaps why they lean so heavily on providing perks such as paid for benefits, free psychiatric counseling and partner perks. All very appealing. 

Work environment is rough. TMs are bussed into the factory, with a commute with walk from the lot and through the  building that can be 25-50 minutes or more, depending on the area. This is completely unpaid and there is a strict absence and attendance policy. Shifts are 12 hours long so a day with commute and voyage into the facility can easily span 14+ hours, leaving little time for anything else. Safety violations and a disregard for rules are all too common. Most of the line level employees are fresh out of high school or are workforce inexperienced and it shows both in environment and craftsmanship. I could beat this topic into the ground, but this sums it up best: knowing what I know, I personally am not interested in purchasing a Tesla until they have another 5 years staffing, training and retooling their processes. There is a long hard road ahead and Tesla is quickly losing their first mover advantage to other companies that are well established and reputable. 

All in all, Tesla is fine if you are fresh out of high school and haven't developed any skills yet. If you are looking for a career, Tesla TX may be a solid option 5-7 years down the road, but if you have skills or other talents I would encourage individuals to follow fields that support those. Tesla is a high profile name attached to a manufacturing site that is not all that special and years from being anywhere close to a medium to high performance status. 

If you are willing to grind through for a few years and are ok with mundane and unremarkable tasks, Tesla manufacturing may be for you. If meaning, value, culture, communication, professionalism and balance are important, weigh your options carefully. 


A typical day in the life of Tesla looks like a few of us Customer Experience Specialists (CES) being prepared for serious buyers or curious tourists that would like to know more about how a Tesla could fit better into their life than the current car. We are educated of how the car performs, how it charges, insurance policies, price breakdowns, the history of electric vehicles, the impact on the environment, passion for our mission, and most importantly social skills. If we are not talking about our cars, we are communicating and tracking updates with other people who we have previously worked with.

This has taught me the proper ways to handle customer conversation, satisfaction, and dissatisfaction. I have always needed to find creative and resourceful ways to tailor the conversation to a way the customer would best find fit. For example, for an elderly couple with no kids, I would not emphasize the seating room in our SUV that has the highest performance of any car in it's class. I would talk about the reliability of the car in the long run and it's highest safety rating ever tested by the National Highway Traffic Association. I also developed strong speaking skills and a confidence in knowing that I work for the most innovative and groundbreaking car company in the nation. This has helped me significantly when doing projects or presentations in school.

The people whom I worked with were a group of young individuals that I highly respected for their commitment to the company, excitement for our advancements, engagement with customers, and interest in higher level thinking and debates. I always loved coming to work because regardless of the type of day I was having, the people I worked were always a positive part in my life. The management is taken extremely serious for Tesla. There is very high expectations for the workers and mangers to be organized, reliable, and successful at their respective tasks. Our store manager restructured the way we functioned throughout a typical day. As a company, we needed people to take more responsibility on "your role" and not be so flexible. One thing I always appreciated about my manager was that she led our team not from orders but by example. If there was ever something we did not do well while working with a customer, she would not just tell us, but rather she would show us. She would consistently be on the floor bring herself down to our level and help with the workload.

My favorite about working for Tesla has been my ability to represent a company that I firmly believed in. That simple fact made my job so much easier to do because I know when I had to send that third email, or make that second call, or express my excitement for our cars, I know I was doing it because I truly believed not only in the better for our environment, but also because I know that our cars are the best of the best. It was my job to communicate these reasons to every person that walked in and treat every person the same because you never know who someone is or what they are telling someone else.

A typical day in the life of a Solar City Auditor:

Wake up at roughly 6am, drive to meet your co-worker, hop in a Solar City vehicle and draw a rough sketch-up of the home you're about to audit.

As a field engineer, it is on your shoulders to make sure the amount of solar panels Solar City has quoted the client / the client wants will fit on the client's roof. To do this, you have to audit the home for the Designers who are going to be looking through the information you gather on-site in order to speed up the process of designing the system for the client. 

The job goes in these stages: 360 degree photo walkthrough of the outside of the home, put up ladder and tie in to the roof (fall protection gear get's screwed in to a stud on the roof), get on roof and measure out the mounting planes (also take a 360 photo set of the roof), measure out and document all obstructions on the mounting planes, go inside attic, 360 photo set of the attic, measure the truss on the mounting planes, sketch the truss w/measurements, make sure you're not covered in insulation, clean up and move on to the next home. 

Mind you, while you're doing all of this, it's typically above 95 degrees Fahrenheit and you're helping the client through the whole process (basically performing customer service and acting as an encyclopedia of knowledge).

Overall, as the job goes, it's not that hard. Some homes are more difficult than others to audit, however the work usually goes quite quickly when you work well with your co-worker. Most of my co-workers were friends, or friends of my friends, so work typically went smooth. When I went to the install side of things, however, most of my co-workers not only didn't have language in common, but nothing else at all. They're all good guys though, just not my kind of people. 

The hardest part of this job was trying to get all of the work done before the sun started beating down, due to the increase of difficulty during the hotter hours. Being on a roof or crawling around in an attic when it's above 100 degrees Fahrenheit is sweaty and infuriating business.

Aside from all the bad stuff, the most enjoyable part of the job was when we finished jobs early. Some days, we would get done with the field work in less than 4 hours for 3 or more jobs. Usually the easiest part of the job was the work that didn't involve being in the field, and was done from the comfort of air conditioning and on a computer. This was only easy when the computer programs  we were using weren't bugging out, and when the information was given clearly as to what was supposed to be documented. Sometimes, the job wasn't clearly explained, or was touched on very briefly, and became quite an issue as a result of being ill-trained.

Again, I am not saying the management was bad or anything of the like, but for a time the situation was difficult for myself. The company has completely changed the way field engineering is performed, so things seem to be a bit easier than what I described above. Solar City gives great benefits in terms of pay, the dental doesn't cover much, nor does the health insurance, but the pay is quite good.

Right so, I've been working here just over a year. I started as a normal production associate and moved on up from there (by way of sheer luck). 

A typical day at Tesla starts at 3:30. AM or PM, it does not matter. You get up after sleeping for AT BEST 7 hours, and be on the road by 4:50 depending on where you live. God forbid you get stuck in the traffic because you will then be forced to compete in the LaSparks rally trying to race down I-80, hope you don't get into a major accident surrounded by the other thousand or so sleep deprived people that you're on the road with, and eventually you land at Tesla. Oh and hope you're not late, because they will ding ya.

A typical start of the week is usually a massive mess to clean up from the previous shift pretty much just giving up. You will deal with either a high-stress, high-paced, aggravating work environment or have a day where all the lines are down and you are sat there for 12 god-loving hours trying to hope you dont get in trouble for sitting. Everyone on production goes to lunch at around the same time, so good luck getting your food from the cafe before lunch is over. You do get a 15 minute break before then, but that's not enough time to get to the break areas. There's a grand total of 3 that are used frequently. They have over priced gas station food, or the main cafe has some outside company come in and cook 
And make sure you're not late coming back from break, because they will ding ya. 

Before then you're going to have to figure out what has changed, because things are never stable there. If you're an engineer, I really hope you have all your ducks in a row because you're target number 1. 

I know there's a bit of embellishment there, but it's not far off, and anyone who's had to work here will get it. 

The big problem is, you're not treated much like a person. Sure you get great benefits, but when you are so dog-tired at the end of the week that depression kicks in and you just dont want to do anything, and there goes a weekend. Sure the pay is nice . . . but it's not worth the amount of stress and aggravation that this place will put you though. Too many people with a chip on their shoulders, too many people hired from litterly the basement of the barrel of Reno. Don't try to level up or get better, you just get to deal with more people yelling at you for results or making you feel like the biggest failure in the universe. It doesn't matter if you're an ex-con, a graduate from a university, or an ex-military captain, you are treated like a number and nothing more. Dont question what goes on, just do it, it's less stressful that way. 

Then there's getting home. If you are not in your car and moving by 6:01 you are absolutely screwed. Dont plan on getting back into Reno until almost 7:00. Expect accidents. Pack a sandwich. I recommend getting YouTube Premium and popping on a podcast to drown on the road rage from the other thousand or so angry, tired, stressed out people. 

Oh and forced mandatory overtime with punishment for missing said overtime should be illegal.

Very physically demanding work as a production associate building cars. Shift constantly changing. Toxic environment. Arguing and drama over little things like what station you may be on that day or how other people aren't pulling their weight so you're left to pick up the slack and work harder. The job itself isnt hard, its that the line continuously moves and doesn't stop. If you have issues in your station (running low on parts) you have to try to open your own boxes and hurry because the next car is coming or hope that you can see a lead around to ask to help you or you will fall behind. You are constantly rushing. Training employees is very difficult and stressful because the line doesn't stop and you are left to check their work or fix their mistakes meanwhile the next car is coming right behind it so you have to rush and continue trying to train or just hurry and do the next car for them and have them start the car after it until they get the hang of it. Strict attendance policy. Lots of favoritism.  Parking is stressful must arrive very early to get a close parking spot due to so many employees. You get stuck in traffic just trying to leave the parking lot. Ive had to run to my car many times (about a 5 to 10 minute run)  just in hopes to not get stuck in the work parking lot for 30+ minutes sometimes even an hour. Everything is very far because the factory is so big so there is not much time to even leave assembly line for breaks or lunch. No time to go to car to get a mental break from work because parking lot is so far from GA department. May be different for other departments but this is my experience. Bringing a lunch box is your best friend or not eating at all. Many times I would just fast the whole shift because all i wanted to do was sit on my breaks and lunch because I was ao exhausted. There are so many employees you have to wait in lines just to use the restroom. You have to have a lead cover you to use the restroom and sometimes the reply is I'm busy right now. Sometimes they forget you even asked to use the restoom and you have to remind them or ask another lead. Very stressful job. The benefits are great, free health insurance, the pay is decent, but not for how physically demanding the job is. You will go home with no energy or motivation to do anything outside of work. I had 4 different supervisors working there for 2 years. My last supervisor was the best supervisor I had ever had. Very patient, helpful, not afraid to hop in and help if needed. Very understanding. There is room for advancement if you can handle the additional stress if you are a hard worker and the positions open. I enjoyed the people I met and was able to get to know them very well working with them throughout 10 to 12 hour shifts. The most enjoyable part of the job was clocking out to go home and when I got paid.

No professional development or advancement structure for anyone, even though they claim there is.  If you ask what the company will provide you for professional development, the answer is silence.  If you want to rise from an installer to a project manager, that’s ok, but anyone else in a support role the organization is ineligible for true advancement.

People are hired and paid according to whim; there is no pay equity among similar job classification.  They have no compensation structure for the company as a whole, yet it has grown to 3,000 people.  And, your manager may make $100,000 more than you.

People promoted according to whim – they create new positions all the time just so they can give people huge raises.

Lack of diversity at the top.  Look at the SC website, and you will get a sense of this lack of diversity.  People of color are very few and far between in positions of senior management.

The company wants you to think they are squeaky clean in complying with various laws, but in fact there is always a strategy to cut corners and get around rules.

If you need help and you are not considered one of the higher-ups, you won’t get the support you need without a lot of complaining.  They are SLOW.  Your work is meaningless to them.

There is no meaningful structure to lodge complaints about how things should run differently – there are no defined ways to recommend improvements or identify issues, even though you may ask.  It’s as if they don’t really want to know what you think or have concerns about.

This company is growing so fast but without the needed infrastructure.  People in certain support roles – HR, Fund Accounting, Legal, etc. – are stretched thin, but requests for help fall on deaf ears.  The founders keep saying “we have to do more with less” – but that’s what everyone is already doing.  You can’t grow twice as large in two years without scaling some additional support functions.

You are considered lacking teamwork if you don’t bust your rear and work large amounts of overtime.  And, they will do whatever they can to make sure you are not entitled to overtime, even if your work really is entitled to it.

They spend way too much time creating proprietary systems that don’t work, rather than go with existing products other companies use to remain efficient.  SolarCity is not the first company to need timekeeping products; why invent it again?

The company bleeds money because of the lack of accountability among all levels of leadership.  Instead of tracking how money is spent by the people with the most control, support roles become the scapegoats.  

The company is trying to foist itself as a high-tech/start-up like company, and it’s not.  It’s a glorified construction company.  Yet the people making decisions at the very top about process improvements, etc. have zero experience in construction.

How did the company reward its rank and file when it went public?  We got a SolarCity water bottle.  A WATER BOTTLE.  Meanwhile those at the very top enriched themselves with bonuses and raises they give to themselves.


Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Production associate 27 salaries reported	$23.68 per hour
Software engineer 35 salaries reported	$160,277 per year
Intern 44 salaries reported	$38.93 per hour
Automotive technician 81 salaries reported	$31.32 per hour
Material handler 22 salaries reported	$26.89 per hour

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