Ex-IBMers: why did you leave IBM? Any regrets?

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No future. No regrets.

I was part of Change Management or Digital Change or something (I don’t even know) billing 110% a merge&acquisition project (not doing change, I was doing PMO for the merge). When I talked to the leader of said practice about my promotion <after two years of billing an exorbitant rate (I was the most expensive resource in that project) and fattening the wallet of that practice>. Her response was: “you’re experience really doesn’t count because it wasn’t in digital change. I’m sorry I should’ve said that earlier. My bad.” Absolutely no regrets leaving.
And I have plenty of other examples.

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So far ;)

I left a year ago, for an outstanding oppty with another former IBMer. Leadership role to run a small company (with the ability to make business changing decisions...imagine that) and life-altering equity in the business.
To me, IBM is the best networking oppty around. I worked with some truly outstanding leaders who were handcuffed just like me, because there’s about a dozen top execs who are trusted to make decisions. I had a half dozen VP or higher leaders leave, had possibilities to follow a couple and chose the best one.
In hindsight, my advice is to take your time at IBM seriously! Work hard, take on the most challenging projects you can find and network hard with the leaders you meet. It will lead to your next great opportunity and at some point that will be outside of IBM. Good luck!

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IBM is fake consulting with a toxic culture; no.

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I found the work life balance was less an intention employee retention and culture play and more a consequence of lackluster talent, which caused me to go insane and be super unhappy

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Putting in my 2 weeks on Tuesday ✌🏻

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I took me a year straight of looking and applying to get the job I’m accepting and moving on. My advice to you is- don’t give up and that your current state won’t be your forever. Keep your head up and keep working towards your goal and DM me if you ever need anything! I agree- there’s a huge lack of leadership and our leaders aren’t stupid to know what’s going on but they turn a blind eye which is more sad than anything. Horrible they treat their employees this way and expect us to stick around saying “this will shape you into an IBM partner!” Silly silly

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I think soon IBM will have more number of Partners and APs than band 8 + 9s

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Can’t agree more ! B9’s who just learnt to talk crap and they get promoted so quickly where as there are some good consultants with 19 years experience in 9 for ten years

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I am about to leave... like someone else said, no future no regrets.

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How much IBM providing variables (gdp or pa) these days for band 7 or 8 ?
i was said around 15% would be variable over fixed salary of 25 L. Expecting an offer..

No future.

No regrets.

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To me the biggest problem was that as a company it did not fit in as a tech company nor a consulting company. As one of the posters mentioned below IBM can’t compete with Cognizant/Infosys at cost or Deloitte/PWC in quality.

I had a great time with IBM and highly respected my business line Partner. However I don’t see the company reaching escape velocity as Amazon & MSFT continue their domination of the cloud market.

I left after 1.5 years in the CBD program

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This is such a sad thread

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i need to leave 😢

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I know right. Ex-IBMers, help us out .

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There are many IBMers who are with the company for 10-15 years and continuing. If IBM is so bad, Why are they sticking then? What am I missing?

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SM1, like what?

IBM9 that’s because while the good players at IBM are just as good as B4, IBM also has a ton of bad players weighing them down. Its scale and ways of working allow people to camp out very easily.

Be careful... The problem with consulting firms are the all consuming obsessions with quality and delivering above and beyond. 90% of the time my team has over delivered before a deadline but an MD or Partner will just keep making us iterate until the last minute to get it better and better. It's nuts. Deloitte and Accenture here.

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Nope

Pursue MBA! Loved my time @ IBM

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Company is shrinking for the last decade, cost cutting in every dimension, too many processes, had great colleagues and managers but so glad I decided to leave...

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Oh, your statement about quality makes me think I want to go to IBM. After seven years at Deloitte and Accenture, I am so tired of the obsession with quality. Don't get me wrong, it's important, I'm just tired of 70 versions of decks.

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Great insight

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For those leaving or have left - trying to save me too?

Public sector - analytic work and PMO tasks. Yet feel like I haven’t learned much :/

Just found this thread and left IBM recently. So much of what is being said here resonates with me. I didn't realize how awful the culture IBM was till I left for green pastures.

As for why I left, dm me. Basically, I never felt appreciated.

There's a lot of toxic stuff you don't realize is bad till you leave. Every big company has flaws though of course

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