Oracle

1. Competitive starting salary for the first 2 years, along with flex credits and 401k matching. RSUs instead of stock options starting 2015.

2. Good place to get your U.S. status.

3. Decent training ground for the NCGs for the first 2-3 years. Quite a few talented/experienced engineers you can learn from. Work on the latest technology/tools.

4. Overall good work-life balance. Stable job. A few managers/groups will make your life miserable.

5. Nice campus environment. Nice gym/sports groups.

6. Brand recognition on the resume.

1. No bonus. No salary raise for at least the first 2-3 years. When a promotion comes, salary increases by at most ~5-6%. After 4-5 years, your salary will be significantly below the market standard. Other benefits, if any, are average to poor, e.g., ESPP.

2. New college graduates (NCGs) are paid higher than senior engineers (offers increase by ~$3-4k each year while the salary of the seniors stays flat), due to Oracle's global talent strategy of capitalizing on fresh talents for their first 4 years, after which you are irrelevant to the company.

3. Not a fertile environment for top talents and innovations, mainly due to management who tends to reward obedience rather than performance.

4. Lacks diversity. ~25% of the NCGs each year come from the same school with similar backgrounds.

5. Rarely can you return after leaving the company. You are asked to sell all stocks/options after you leave. All benefits stop on your last day.

6. No unshared office space for NCGs. Food quality and cost in the cafe are average.

7. Sensitive intergroup politics. Moving between groups is rare, if not impossible.

Advice to the NCGs: pursue new opportunities after 3-4 years, unless you're being promoted every 2 years.

Advice to the seniors: your salary/benefits are about 50% below the market. Unless you're satisfied with where you are now, it's a dead end.

Advice to the management: recruiting is hard (unless from a single school), so retain talent.