Pros: Pay and benefits are top-notch, with bonuses very good compared to a lot of software jobs. The building is amazing. Snacks are okay (but they get you fat). Free entry into NY museums and cultural events. A lot of very smart people, and the work will definitely keep you busy. You get code into production fast compared to many software jobs, where the turn-around on a project might be months to years. At Bloomberg, many projects last weeks.

Cons: Technology is extremely proprietary. You're not working with open-source technology, or even Microsoft tools. You're working with Bloomberg-specific technologies, many of which date back to hacky solutions from the early 80s. A lot of the new stuff is poorly documented and in a constant state of flux. I often am jealous of my friends who get to work with more interesting technology, even though I'm better compensated. The management is a bit lacking. The structure is very loose (which can be a good thing), but sometimes things feel disorganized. They don't employ any software methodologies or processes, so even though they use rapid development, projects are poorly organized and lack planning and testing. This also can make projects more stressful than they need to be.

Pros: It has a great R&D training program, which gets you ready to do some real programming tasks.

Cons: Chasing fast but sometimes could be cheap solutions, which may cause bigger problems later. Maybe different teams are different, but at least in my team, rarely do I see people put effort on code refactoring. I personally feel that the open floor could be very distractive to me; earmuffs would be your good friend.

Pros: Free food, flexible work hours (if you do not work in trading systems), corporate perks, and a health benefits package.

Cons: Backstabbing. Managers behave like dictators with no accountability throughout the chain of command. Outright lies on performance reviews. Performance is proportional to sycophancy. The culture of meritocracy and fairness is being systematically dismantled. Basically, a H-1B sweatshop. Blame the person you don't like instead of the real culprit and get him/her fired.