General Electric

• Looks great on your resume (This will seriously open doors for you)
• Amazing growth opportunities
• GE does a great job of developing and promoting its talent
• GE tends to promote from within
• Gives you access to projects that you wouldn't find anywhere else (I once installed a security appliance in a power plant in the middle of the desert)
• Incredible budget for education
• Access to top-notch education
• Really great colleagues (Some are frustrating and play politics, but the overwhelming majority are a pleasure to work with.)

• A lot of politics. Being right isn't enough; you have to be right and ensure that no one in the hierarchy feels threatened.

A lot of people don't even do this. They just kiss up to their manager and play politics in lieu of following best practices and being correct. Ultimately, this led to me leaving.

• Health insurance was not very good (which was surprising).

• A lot of bureaucracy.

• Pay is below industry standard and, in general, raises/bonuses don't keep pace.

Embrace software engineer practices from the West Coast.

Seniority is no substitute for best practices and being correct.