Pros
* Great people -- some of the brightest and most driven I've met. They give you confidence by association. * Great place to learn from some great mentors & leaders * Impressive client list -- often the who's who in industry. * Face-paced advancement.
Kontras
* Consider it a "starter career". Even if you make SE, you'll be asked to leave before you can retire. The rewards just aren't what they used to be. * North America business has plateaued, and may be shrinking. Only place for SE advancement is in developing countries. * Shallow skills. Core training is great, but it doesn't build deep skills in things that matter to our clients. * Majority of project work is done offshore. Late night/early morning calls with India are a strain. * Oh, god...The pay is horrible! The rewards do not match the stress & effort.