Company: IBM
Date: 2012-02-16
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: former

Stuck in Stagnation for 14 Years
Pros: Global presence, industry leader, numerous products and services, large community of brilliant people, focus on innovation, professional development resources, work life balance
Cons: Ambibuous, mislabled job titles that do not truly reflect the work you do.  Blocked access to professional development.  Very poor, ambiguous, informal performance rating system with no management accountability.  What is a 2+.   There is no real recourse to dispute a rating without making enemies up your chain.  Open door is a sham with consequenses.  Managers are forced to give sub-par ratings because there are only so many good ratings to give out; then they try to rationalize the illogical and are blindly backed up by senior management.  By giving sub-par ratings, iBM reduces the percentages of raises, the amount of bonuses and ultimately promotions given to employees.  Because of this, employees find themselves stuck for years.  If you go to HR your career is over.  The only way to progress at IBM is if you get a good manager that really likes you, will fight for you and allows you to take professional education and training courses.