Company: Oracle
Date: 2015-11-23
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: former

The Leviathan Strikes Again!
Pros: The company is very large. If you're seeking job security, chances are you'll find it here due to the massive government/enterprise contracts. This also means that it's possible to pivot while staying inside the company.
Cons: The company is very large. Unless you're in a situation where you crave stability and a relatively low-impact work schedule (e.g., parent), you'll probably get bored pretty quickly. In addition, I've heard from some colleagues that sticking around at Oracle for too long can look bad in some quarters. Keep that in mind if you feel like you'll want to get a new job later.

In addition, companies they buy out tend to fall apart pretty quickly. I worked for a company that was humming along quite nicely until it was bought out. Within a year of the merger completion, well over half of the key employees who helped shape the company or were rock stars within the company had quit to form their own companies or join other companies. (Some quit right at a year. I'm guessing they were offered large bonuses if they stuck around for a year.) The only people left were, in general, those who couldn't be bothered to move on. I'm not saying the remaining employees were idiots. I'm just saying that things slowed down rapidly due to the sudden turnover, with little exciting work coming in.

Finally, Oracle's vacation policy is awful. I had three weeks paid vacation and unlimited sick time, and was about to go up to four weeks paid vacation when Oracle took it all away. They only offered 2 1/2 weeks of paid vacation, along with two fewer observed holidays and limited sick leave. So, they basically took away over a week of vacation time. At least they counted time at the old company towards time at Oracle.