Company: IBM
Date: 2016-04-04
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: former

Reputation Precedes Reality
Pros: Still one of the biggest names in the IT industry, though most will agree that IBM is somewhat past its heyday. As such having 'IBM' on the resume will probably open many doors but don't be surprised if recruiters in their 20s have never heard of the company. Fringe benefits provided are one of the best I've ever seen such as fully-reimbursed GP/ specialist visits at panel clinics, free on-site flu vaccinations and the occasional freebies to boost morale (e.g. ice cream, Fitbit tracker, etc). Telecommuting is allowed, in theory. But whether if it's specifically allowed for you will be at your manager's sole discretion and mental state....
Cons: Overly bureaucratic but that's kind of expected for a company of IBM's size. Be prepared to execute the same process n times, e.g. entering data into multiple platforms or preparing essentially what are similar reports but modified slightly to cater to various levels of management. In that sense a job at IBM would suit someone who is looking merely at passing time or...keen on exploring archaic and/ or quaint technologies that nobody else uses anymore. The company is using Notes/ Domino for email and Connections as its internal social networking tool instead of the ubiquitous Outlook/ Exchange and Sharepoint. Speaking of Connections, be prepared to be constantly harangued by local managers to go and read and like the posts put up by senior management on Connections. Also, be prepared to parrot the goosebumps-inducing-cadence-calls-of-the-quarter at every opportunity (of course preferably on Connections!) if you are seeking to move up the hierarchy or ingratiate yourself with the management.