Company: Oracle
Date: 2012-10-14
Overall rating: 1/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Junior

Internal job transfers/promotions are restricted to Lateral or Downward grade-levels!
Pros: Good technology, steady financials, market power.  As some others have pointed out, these factors can make Oracle a good career springboard for future opportunities with more exciting, agile, innovative, flexible and creative companies.
Cons: Internal advancement and compensation system is ludicrous.  There is an HR policy that only permits Lateral or Lower grade-level transfers for employees moving to an internally posted job --  even for promotions.  So for example, if you hold an IC3-level position and are qualified to apply to an internal IC5-level job posting, you may be offered the new job, but you cannot move to the higher grade/salary level during that fiscal year -- i.e.,the new job now becomes an IC3-level job.  Any grade-level changes can only be considered at the beginning of the following fiscal year, at which time, many other variables come into play:  Your manager must then provide a stellar review, submit a business case for a promotion, jump through hoops, get approvals, etc.

Also, when applying to an internally posted job, you must inform your current manager, before you receive a formal offer from HR.  Yes, before.  So essentially, if the offer is not what you expect, you are more than likely in an extremely precarious position with your current manager/organization and must seek alternative employment outside of the company, immediately thereafter.

Sales Compensation Plans are inconsistent and do not accurately reward talent or results.  Some Sales employees in a given year do extremely well, while other solid performers are forced to survive on their base salary.  Also, little to no stock option awards are distributed to the mainstream workforce.