Bank of America

Huge company (c. 300,000 people). Very stable. Top of the U.S. banking pyramid, having made many of the right decisions even given the economic downturn we are in. Strong work from home program; if you are not customer-facing, many of us can work from home full time, which also means you can pick (at your own expense) any part of the country to work from. When we get to the other side of this recession, the questionable decisions around some of the recent acquisitions should look like having been great buying opportunities.

Can have many of the impersonal side effects of a huge company in Corporate America. The work-from-home program can feel very isolating. The career opportunities and face-to-face interactions are more numerous in Charlotte. Customer service leaves something to be desired. Although service can be OK while the customer is a well-oiled cog in their machine, you are a spanner in the works if the customer steps outside the routine.

Hang in there!