Company: Oracle
Date: 2008-08-08
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: current

Oracle is a big safe ship, but the crew works very hard...
Pros: It is a big company with a grocery store of applications and technologies.  I feel very safe here and I am from one of the acquired companies.  Always good to be with a winner.  I have also felt that Oracle has given me a fair shake and has advanced me and enhanced my chances at career recognition and promotion.

Health insurance is the best of anyone on my block (IBM, Sun, Yahoo, Bea (now ORCL), Deloitte.

I think you can have lots of opportunities to make of yourself what you will.
Cons: Oracle's legacy culture is a little on the cutt-throat side.  Many people from Oracle (not by acquisition) can seem to view other co-workers and / or other divisions as something akin to "Co-opertition".  I think this has some good and bad sides.  I like healthy competition and working with people that are go-getters.  I do believe that sometimes the competition aspect can lead to short sided decisions (based on one's own bonus, team or other factor) that can be long term bad for the company, long term or larger team.

Seemingly tough to find that right life / work balance: at least in the sales and conuslting ranks (where money is being made / brought in), I find it difficult to sometimes balance life and work.  I see many people struggling to do the same.  I have ended up in a position in particular that I think really helps the situation for me and my family but I see many people that will miss their kids or other family responsibilities.  Bottom line, many work crazy hours and expect you to do the same.  It seems to be more about being able to answer the e-mail at an ungodly hour (the apperance of working hard) than being efficient, effective and then going home.