I joined my team last, but somehow became the most productive person in the team of 7 after 1.5 years. Probably due to the fact that I was young and naive, and believed that more good work I produce, faster I would would get promoted and receive raises. Not quite.
I was working 140 hour weeks, having almost zero social life. They gave me a 1.5% raise after 1 year, citing that promotions and raises are not normally dished out to people who has been their for more than 1.5 years. The max raise was 3% annually, which was only 6 months after my last review period (which was discarded because I was too "young" in the company). So despite the highest performance rating on the scale, I received a prorated 1.5% raise.
I was the engineer primarily responsible for launching a new store in the company. 5 days of almost zero sleep in the war room. Before the launch, my manager promised extra vacation for me to unwind, big raises and promotions. After launch, I barely saw the guy anymore. I quit soon afterwards. Then I found out the guy was trying hard to climb into the director seat. Which he did.
While I received no pad on the back, no raise, no promotion, no extra vacations, the VPs all recieved a 2 million cash bonus, and directors 1 million. The only recognition I received was a $1.50 coffee purchased by my VP after 3rd night straight in the war room.
When I played a small part in accidentally revealed project on the main site, which received wide press coverage. (Many other played a bigger part). I was the only one to own up to my mistake. Therefore, I was single handly scapegoated for the incident. I was not allowed to defend myself in front of the post-modem committee, because management deemed 3 hours out of my time would jeopardize the project. So they wrote something in my place admitting guilt.
When I was leaving, I was appointment manager of two new hires. Even though I was still SWE1 (they never talked to me when the HR promotion cycle came and went). Both new hires were paid 10k more than me a year, plus 5k more cash bonus. That's when I just left.
If you are a masochist, or curious about what complete hatred for the human race feels like, go work for Amazon.com. For that, they won't disappoint.
