Lockheed Martin formed out of a merger in the mid-90s but that’s not where the story started.
That tale began a century ago with Lockheed Corporation.
Back then, the focus was on aerospace.
In the early 60s, Martin Marietta was formed from another merger.
They also worked in the aerospace field but with a focus on missiles.
Today, Lockheed Martin is essentially a tech company that specializes in specific areas, such as aerospace, information security, defense, and arms.
In total, there are 28 internal groups spread across the US and other countries.
Think you’re ready to become one of 115,000 Lockheed Martin employees?
Stick with us as we fly through the pros and cons of working for this advanced operation.
Table of Contents
Pros of Working for Lockheed Martin
1. Competitive Pay
There’s nothing like a decent paycheck to make anyone want to come to work.
It’s tough enough to get into a company like Lockheed Martin, so getting good pay is like a bonus in itself.
A lot of talented employees are here for the long haul and that’s exactly what the company wants.
In order to keep workers loyal, they beat out other companies in the industry with higher pay.
Centralizing a talent pool keeps productivity high.
It’s also cost-saving for Lockheed, since fewer people need to go through training.
A majority of workers are happy with their compensation.
Another helpful thing is the availability of overtime.
Making a salary that you can live comfortably on is nice enough, but to have the option of making extra is a blessing for many.
2. Benefits
In order to provide extra incentives to keep top-notch talent, Lockheed has come up with a comprehensive benefits package that almost all employees praise.
To start with, if you feel inspired by the work being done, the idea of more higher education could be tempting.
Perhaps you start in one department and find interest in another and need to bone up on your credentials.
The company offers tuition assistance to help you go back to school.
Lockheed also cares about their employees having a life at home that they’ve dreamed of.
That’s why they offer assistance with fertility treatments and adoptions.
The feeling extends to after bringing a baby into the world.
Maternity and paternity leave is available and is better here than in most other similar companies.
3. Career Growth
One of the benefits of working for a monster-sized company is the opportunities.
Organizations as large as Lockheed mean there are realistically so many departments to try out.
If you end up working here for decades, it’s unlikely you’ll be in the same position when you leave.
Lockheed encourages employees to find other departments that they’d be interested in and to get versed in what they do.
That extends geographically.
Looking to move out of the country?
Check out the positions available at another location and you may be on your way on the company’s dime.
4. Rewarding Work
The experience here is unique because there aren’t many places on Earth where you can get this type of work.
Being part of technological innovation is like having a front-row seat to the future.
Of course, much of the work is done by the government, but the usefulness of advantages in technology does make its way to the general public.
In addition to making things like weapons and planes, Lockheed pours funds into research.
Not only do they want to be leaders in the field, but they also want to be thrones churning out tactical ideas.
Playing any part in keeping progress turning is exciting and something to be proud of.
5. Welcoming Environment
There’s nothing that makes you feel good about being at work like having support.
Many employees have remarked on how welcome they felt when they first started.
This type of environment is encouraged by management and continued by the rest of the staff.
In your first few days and weeks, there’s a real sense of coming together to help you get your bearings.
The team really wants to get you up to speed and help you get comfortable in the role.
Learning about the company, what the culture is like, and how things work is the best way to kick off a new career.
6. Training
Upon getting hired at Lockheed Martin, candidates are likely already highly qualified individuals.
So, a company could easily expect the world of you from day one.
However, Lockheed realizes there’s a lot more to getting into a profession than a degree and an internship.
There’s a lot to learn, no matter how much experience you have.
The more employees are well-versed, the more productive they are.
Training doesn’t stop after the beginning.
At various points throughout someone’s career, they can ask for and receive nuanced training to help further advancement.
7. Flexible Schedules
One thing Lockheed understands is that work isn’t everything.
Unlike other places where strict Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 still reigns, this company wants your job to work with your life.
Getting Fridays off is also a perk that’s impossible to look past.
Depending on the department, many workers were able to work from home long before they had to.
Cons of Working for Lockheed Martin
1. Excessive Micromanagement
Management is great to go to when you want to learn or have ideas.
They are probably just glad to be doing something, honestly.
Much of the manager’s time is spent breathing down the necks of the workers.
This behavior creates a stressful work environment and intense competition between coworkers.
2. Slow-to-Act Leaders
Getting anything outside the box done feels like an act of Congress.
Whether it’s a suggestion, idea, complaint, or hope, the leaders at Lockheed are molasses incarnate.
It seems like an entire committee has to convene to talk about the idea of talking about something new.
Watching slow processes of change is extremely frustrating for employees who would like to see quicker decision-making.
3. Rigid Structure
When companies have been going on successfully as long as Lockheed Martin has, there are bound to be antiquated procedures.
The management seems to be stuck in 1950 when they weren’t required to do a whole lot except for be glorified hall monitors.
From the top down, each level has a sort of rule book they go by.
This tight structure limits the ability of the employees to be individualistic and creative in most projects.
4. Inability to Stand Out
Thanks to the structure of each department, it’s difficult for anyone to stand out.
A majority of plans and concepts are grouped by the team, as opposed to individual accomplishments.
Everything is a team effort.
Ironically, that still adds pressure on coworkers to be exemplary.
Competition can be fierce to be noticed, in hopes of being noticed by higher-ups.
5. Hourly Worker Stagnation
Having a union protecting you is a great thing.
Unfortunately, only salaried employees get to take advantage of this benefit.
The divide between salaried and not is glaringly obvious and felt deeply.
Not only is pay impacted by being non-salaried, but so are the type of assignments you get to work on.
Also, hourly employees aren’t particularly considered for promotions or raises.
Remember those flexible schedules spoken of earlier?
Yeah, that perk doesn’t apply to hourly workers.
Basically, if you get stuck in this role, don’t plan on this being permanent.
The likelihood is low that you’d be able to stick around long enough in the hope of becoming salaried.
Below standard pay isn’t enough to keep anyone at a company, not even one that is a Fortune 500.
6. Management Favorites
It’s hard to get ahead in a place where the managers take a shine to particular individuals.
Too often at Lockheed, a manager will single out someone because of the way they look or what they have in common.
Not necessarily because of the work being produced.
That’s a problem for the team and the person being shined upon.
7. Outdated Equipment
For a company that is all about innovation and moving forward in a number of disciplines, it’s kind of strange how behind the times things can be.
For one, has management learned nothing about keeping a healthy place for employees?
The work floor can be dirty as if it hasn’t been cleaned in decades.
There’s a lot of accumulation that is never good for anyone who is using their hands and breathing that air.
Then, the tools employees are given are as old as the hills.
With all the advances that have come out of Lockheed Martin, you’d think one could be a functioning set of tools that work when needed.
Too often, employees are expected to use outdated tools and spend half their time being frustrated by jams and poor functioning.
Not only is it annoying, but it also wastes an ungodly amount of time.
14 Pros and Cons of Working for Lockheed Martin – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for Lockheed Martin | Cons of Working for Lockheed Martin |
|---|---|
| 1. Competitive Pay | 1. Excessive Micromanagement |
| 2. Benefits | 2. Slow-to-Act Leaders |
| 3. Career Growth | 3. Rigid Structure |
| 4. Rewarding Work | 4. Inability to Stand Out |
| 5. Welcoming Environment | 5. Hourly Worker Stagnation |
| 6. Training | 6. Management Favorites |
| 7. Flexible Schedules | 7. Outdated Equipment |
Should You Work for Lockheed Martin?
Working at Lockheed Martin is a great strategic move for a career in one of the fields they specialize in.
Having that well-known name on a resume could open a number of doors in the future.
It’s also a place where many employees are long-term and spend much, if not all, of their careers at the company.
With that being said, longevity might be the key to moving up, because it can be tough otherwise.
It’s easy to get pigeonholed into a team and feel more like a cog in the wheel as opposed to participating in innovation.
However, with the right connections and opportunities for distinction, working at Lockheed Martin could really offer you distinction.
If keeping in for the long haul is up your alley, this could be a perfect place to get into.
