Company: IBM
Date: 2015-12-04
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Junior

Good place to start a career, but get out before you get stuck.
Pros: Started as a software consultant immediately after graduating from college. Great experience to have on your resume -- opens up lots of doors in the IT/software/consulting world. Good exposure to software implementation projects and how they go success and fail. As a consultant, you don't have to go looking for your next project if you build an expertise on a high-demand product.

Travel has good perks until you burn out. 

Stable paycheck, good benefits.
Cons: Too big, too much bureaucracy and red tape. Lots of resources in theory, but these are difficult to navigate. 

Very little importance is given to skills updates.

Only moderate work-life balance. Management is unlikely to give bench time or push clients for remote work to update skills or to give a breather from travel. (On the plus side, consultants on projects requiring travel usually have lax Fridays and consultants on projects that don't require travel get to work from home). 

No clear way to move up or work towards bonuses. Bonuses are given out unexpectedly for good work only if money is 'left over' during year. Also, raises and promotions are only given sparingly. Even groups that perform well, like the one I work for, are stingy with bonuses and raises. Management does not encourage movement between groups.