Company: IBM
Date: 2008-11-20
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: former

Ex-IBM Employee's hindsight.
Pros: Many of the people. Basically good people. Lots of resources in terms of jobs, benefits, opportunities, etc. Working at a large company like IBM for twenty four years was like working for several companies. The jobs ranged in responsibilities and most of the time as a professional hire you were pretty much on your own in terms of managing your time. Assignments were given and it was up to you to decide how to approach and or deliver results.The people at IBM for the most part are great people and one can develop great friendships. IBM's reputation carries a lot of weight in the industry, depending on the type of job you're seeking.
Cons: Too large and complex with hundreds of procedures, many layers of management and politics. The culture and size of the organization can also make one feel isolated. Often times because you are on your own in terms of how you work, you may not actually see your manager for months at a time. The business controls and procedures can sometimes bog you down with the time it takes to develop the necessary documentation to meet compliance. It can also be frustrating when you discover there is duplication and some managers operate with blinders on and just direct you to comply if if there is duplication.