Pros: People are very nice. Projects can be challenging and interesting. Work-life balance is great.

Cons: Moving up to senior or from senior to staff is extremely difficult. There has to be a "business need", not just merit. The technical bar could be higher, and pay isn't that competitive.

Pros: Good tech culture, great people, developers and lower-level management. I actually enjoy working there as a tech specialist. Most of the products we develop in the company are not outdated, and tech debt is not growing significantly. Tech workers unionized recently, and that could help to get more leverage on the way we work.

Cons: Upper management strategy and decisions are not clear for lower-level personnel. "We are not a tech company" is a common reason from management to reject some suggestions or complaints made by tech people. Some strange reorganizations are happening on the tech side as well. Many principal engineer roles are unoccupied now after people resigned or were fired, but the roles are not being fulfilled, neither from hiring nor from promoting.

Pros: Freedom to work at your own discretion

Cons: Lower pay and management demanding higher velocity with fewer employees is hurting morale.