Stay far away from this company - Recruiter ALTEN Employee Review

1.0
Mar 12, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The offices are well located.

Cons

If you are ever contacted by this company, stay away from them. These are the best advice I could give you, I wish I had never been hired by them. Worst mistake of my career. I do believe you always learn from mistakes, but this one was too big. I have worked in various environements and could always fit in and be adaptable. This is the first time I despise a company that much, knowing how they treat their employees and candidates. First piece of advice : check the other comments on Glassdoor, knowing Business Managers are asked to say nice things. It is in their interest to artificially level up their global rate. Check the comments from recruiters : even they say recruitment is awfully handled. Few points you will regroup from diverse comments: * the working conditions are terrible * the pay is way under how much the market offers. They will say their HR teams and Business Managers have an accurate vision of the market and ensure an alignment, but it's a lie. As a recruiter I know how much engineers are paid on the UK market, it's not it. * the recruitment criteria are also based on : => age : I was told if the engineer is too old, (s)he will be settled down and will not want to relocate as demanded. Some even dare to get married and have kids! Recruiters cannot contact candidates with 10 years of experience. It's part of their "Alten scope". => nationality : the first question asked by the Business Manager when you organise an interview (and not just for visa questions) From the first phone interview, recruiters will tell you Alten works with big clients and big sectors. Some of them are just names, they're just to lure you into an interview. I had to do it, so I know it's still in practice. When you ask concretely what your mission would be, they have strictly no idea.

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ALTEN Response
5y
Glassdoor is an open platform enabling current or former employees to share feedback on their companies in order for other people to understand what it would be like to work for that company. It is thus important, when providing a feedback, to keep some level of measure and ensure allegations are facts-based. The lack of accuracy of and level of emotion (despise?) behind most of the above comments cannot unfortunately be taken seriously and as a base for constructive feedback. As already mentioned, Glassdoor is an open platform and current or former employees are free to write reviews to share anonymous feedback or not. There is no artificially levelling up the global rate as we have no power over who leaves a review and when. Thankfully, freedom of speech is still a thing in 2021, and some people genuinely enjoy their experience in Alten. Some of you allegations are very serious and I would like to insist that Alten is an equal opportunity employer and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, whether it is based on age, origin or any other criteria. If your allegations on this are true, please contact our HR team or myself (laetitia.galy@alten.com) immediately so that we can launch an investigation. “Recruiters cannot contact candidates with 10 years of experience.” My apologies in advance, but this is one of the most absurd things I have ever read in a review to this day. The average level of experience of our engineers is currently between 8 to 9 years of experience (obviously meaning we do have a number of people above the 10 years mark in the organisation). The level of experience is not a recruitment criteria as such, as it varies from one requirement to the other. We offer of wide range of engineering opportunities, from entry-level roles to senior or expert positions. A quick check on our online job advertisements will easily demonstrate this. We have no interest in making up clients names when speaking to candidates. Mutual trust is the base of a healthy relationship and is actually part of the Alten core values. Alten is not an agency, hence recruiters do not contact engineers to come and work for Alten for the duration of a single project. The purpose of the first contact between the recruiter and the candidate is to understand their current situation and expectations and give them a first glance of the wide range of opportunities available at company level and the career development opportunities we offer. I actually identify as an improvement opportunity that as a recruiter yourself, you did not understand this. Finally, started from scratch a bit more than 30 years ago and reaching more than 33,000 employees today, the success of Alten as Group can only be explained by having put our people and their needs first. The same goes for the success Alten is experiencing in the UK now.

Explore other reviews about ALTEN

5.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I have been with the company for several years and have had a very positive experience overall. The company offers strong opportunities for career growth, especially for employees who are proactive, take ownership, and consistently deliver results. Internal mobility and leadership opportunities are available for those looking to advance their careers. Compensation is competitive within the industry, and performance is generally recognized and rewarded. While there is always room for improvement, I feel that the company provides fair compensation and good opportunities to increase earnings through career progression. Management is supportive and accessible. As with any growing organization, I have found leadership to be committed to employee development and business success. There is a strong entrepreneurial culture that encourages initiative and accountability. One of the biggest strengths of the company is the variety of projects and clients. Employees have the opportunity to work across different industries, technologies, and business environments, which helps accelerate professional development and keeps the work interesting. Pros: * Strong career development opportunities * Diverse and challenging projects * Supportive and entrepreneurial culture * Exposure to a wide range of industries and clients Overall, I would recommend this company to professionals looking for growth, responsibility, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Cons

Fast-paced environment that requires adaptability High expectations for performance and ownership

3.0
Jun 17, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

• Talented employees who genuinely care about customers, consultants, and each other. • Strong technical expertise and exposure to large, complex client programs. • Opportunity to learn resilience, problem-solving, and how to operate in challenging environments. • Significant growth potential if organizational barriers can be addressed. • Many good people working hard to achieve success despite limited resources.

Cons

• Decision-making is often highly centralized and slow, limiting agility and responsiveness to market realities. • Leaders are frequently held accountable for ambitious growth objectives without corresponding authority, resources, or support. • Heavy emphasis on activity tracking, reporting, and process can outweigh focus on outcomes and execution. • Limited willingness to challenge long-standing practices, even when market conditions or employee feedback suggest change is needed. • Leadership diversity and diversity of thought remain opportunities for improvement. • Employee concerns are not always translated into meaningful action, which can contribute to disengagement and turnover.

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