Pros: Salaries are catching up to the rest of high tech, though they expect you to work two jobs at once. Company results are getting better, which gives us hope that they will get out of the frantic mode.

Cons: Continuous crunch time for the past 5 years is wearing people thin. You are expected to work evenings, early mornings, and Sunday nights. You are motivated to do this for crunch time once in a while, but this is one continuous crunch time. The company is distressed, and with the recent good results, they are patting themselves on the back and asking for more. People are voting with their feet and walking out to new jobs. Reqs for open jobs go unfilled. There is an air of tyranny in the atmosphere, and employees that can walk are fed up. And what makes it worse is an air of condescending attitude towards anyone that has not been with the company from the golden days, with the old hands full of the "not invented here" syndrome and taking care of their buddies regardless of performance or ability. It is a Babel of cultures, and sometimes very hard to make a change and do the right thing.

Pros: Good information access. Good benefits.

Cons: The rating/review system is more negative than positive. It is a tool for managers to overpower their workers and tends to create tensions between co-workers. It also encourages dishonest behaviors. Hard work is less important than buttering up your manager when it comes to reward and promotion. Make sure you like the manager and the team before you join. Also, be careful of what they promise you at hiring, because it is likely just a teaser.

Pros: The best place for those who look for life and balance. You can always remote access even if you are not local. Plenty of time that you can manage your personal life.

Cons: There's a lack of young and talented engineers, and it looks like a safe place for those who look for a safe and easy-going environment. As is usual for a big company, there's strong politics, and it's difficult to get a promotion unless you are one of their favorites.