Company: Oracle
Date: 2008-10-03
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: current

Love it or leave it, it is what it is.
Pros: Oracle consistently pushes to keep consultants trained in the latest technology, and provides opportunities to exercise those technologies.  Oracle allows consultants to take risks in order to succeed (or fail) based primarily on the individual's own performance.  Oracle has no problem booting poor performers out the door.  It keeps one pushing to stay on the edge.  Benefits and salaries are better than average for the region.  A good long-term assignment can make Oracle employment very rewarding.
Cons: It's not warm and fuzzy, it's competitive.  It runs through cycles of collecting too many management layers looking for something to do (but cleans house by reorganizing annually to help shake them out).  There is pressure to travel frequently and there are limited alternatives to excessive travel.  It is often a place to learn Oracle technologies well, pay your dues, and depending on available assignments, just move on.