Excellent learning experience and insight into large corporate culture and business practices
Pros
Training is available, career opportunities exist, exposure to all business units is possible. Fair benefits packages for full time employees. Many directions to go in terms of career choices, technical, sales, marketing, scientific, management. Other pros include offices worldwide.
Cons
Pay is lowering than average. Bonuses are only for mid-level managers and executives, based upon what they cut from their annual budgets. Professional development reviews are yearly, where your performance is measured against yearly objectives - not a bad concept however raises are based upon successfully meeting or exceeding these objectives AND how you measure up against other employees at your level, though another employee's functions, challenges, location, etc. may be different from yours. Constant budget reductions, and headcount reductions, while workload increases. You can earn 3 weeks vacation, however scheduling this time off is a catch-22 situation, as your teammates (if any) will be forced to lose their work/life balance while covering your responsibilities (the reverse is true). Movement from one business unit to another almost requires and act of congress (or Devine intervention) if your approving manager does not feel a move from their department is in your (or their) best interest. New trend is to hire contractors from overseas. Stateside employees are being converted into temporary contractors, who are employed by an overseas-based temporary employee provider. Layoffs are a frequent tactic to reduce costs and return "value" to stockholders
