Company: IBM
Date: 2016-01-08
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Senior

Great in its day, just average now ...
Pros: If IBM has the job you want, take it!  But I suggest letting IBM be your "starter job" ... work there for two to three years, then go to a company that will groom you for a career-long adventure, while giving better benefits.

There are some great co-workers at IBM.  I've found the lower management to be generally very good at recognizing and valuing their top contributors, but middle-to-upper (and to executives) are not to be trusted by the employees.
Cons: The pendulum has swung from IBM's early days of placing value on the employee, where the employee could count on IBM's provision and protection, to today's environment of only caring about immediate impact on the stock price (and its associated executive compensation).  Investment in the future, valuing individual creativity and innovation, and fairness to employees have all disappeared.

In services, it is seen as more important to bill extra hours than doing a great job for the client.  Mediocre employees do better in this environment because it takes them longer to get a job done and/or to re-do the work.  The good employees finish early, leaving a happy client, but then are on the "bench" and fired.

This wouldn't be an issue in product development area, of course.  Perhaps top skills are valued in those environments.