Pros: Very rational decision-making about organization and product. Very friendly people who are generally able to provide helpful opinions and criticism, with the understanding that we're on the same team, working toward the same goal. The management structure is relatively flat, with enough coordination so that the applications work well together and the company has a singular vision.

Cons: The worst part of my job is commuting to Foster City. It takes too long, the traffic is difficult, and there are very few lunch options within walking distance.

Pros: Awesome people! A truly collegial environment. People will work with you through a problem instead of assigning blame. Great culture. Work at Home Policy - Teams are flexible for those who use it, and people don't abuse it. Technology focus. Great business model. Good work/life balance. Management is responsive to constructive criticism.

Cons: No cafeteria, although this is mitigated by snacks. There is a shutdown policy for several days during the holidays, which makes sense. The burn is that it gets deducted from your PTO.

Pros: Flexible schedule makes for a good work/life balance. Lots of smart, approachable people that are always willing to lend a hand. Located at the west end of the SM Bridge, the office is quite accessible from the east bay. * Stand-up desks * Powerful development systems: choice of high-end PC or Mac. IT doesn't care if you delete Windows and install Linux. Systems are replaced with an even better one every two years. Outside training and classwork is encouraged and reimbursed. Opportunities to attend conferences are available as well. Good variety of work keeps things interesting, at least in my current role.

Cons: Workspace on the development floor is crowded and sometimes noisy. Proprietary tooling and programming language are not desirable skills outside of Guidewire and thus are not 'resume material'. Once a flat management structure is becoming more hierarchical as the company has grown. I suppose this is inevitable. I've seen quite a few new managers hired from the outside rather than promoted from within the organization.