Pros: Stable position once you are inside. The networking can be very useful. There is a culture of mentoring and networking that takes a certain amount of effort to get into, but does yield decent information.

Cons: Bureaucratic. Poor attention to quality. The overall software product strategy is lacking. Lots of vague, insincere, old-style rah-rah. Management tends to bring in their friends rather than hire for competency. Project schedules are set without understanding the details of what the commitments entail. The product designs tend to be overelaborated, inelegant, and user-hostile. They have a rigid, waterfall product management template, and they are attempting to ram agile development into it.

Pros: You can learn a lot from peers and projects (P-square).

Cons: Can be stuck in a never-ending process for most of the things (another P).

Pros: - Job flexibility. If you are determined to excel in your position, then a world of options is opened to you. The complexity and far-reaching nature of the company allows one to gain expertise that isn't even a part of their job description. If done right, one can mold their career and create a position suited for themselves. - Technology. If you are in a development/test role, then you have access to just about all hardware/software available. Any OS, programming language, tape drive, hard drive tech, networking infrastructure, etc., is there. - Benefits. Compared to many other companies, the benefits (medical, 401k, options, etc.) are among the top.

Cons: The major downside is definitely work/life balance. Although IBM advertises a great balance, you'll only find this being used by those whose roles are not essential. Any valued leader will find themselves faced with understanding the big picture. This applies to the matrixed organization, product design, team dynamics, market direction, and even client satisfaction. Due to the large nature of the company, understanding and working with the previously mentioned aspects takes much time, more than 8 hours in a day. There are many within the company that simply do not go this far in their understanding, and their work/life balance is probably great. However, it places a burden on others in charge who have to make up for their shortcomings.