Pros
* Super flexible work schedule * Transition(ing) to 4/10s so work life balance on work days isn't the best, but every long weekend is really nice! Though I imagine it'd be more difficult with a family. * Overall not a lot of stress, and you can really get out of work what you put in (whether that means you coast in your position for years or push through radical business transformations) * Plenty of room to make improvements/drive change if you want to
Kontras
* Pay is generally below market * You can clearly see the 80/20 principle at work in a lot of areas... * If you're driven to make change/impact there is a lot of bureaucracy, though it's possible to cut through, it's not easy * Depending on your overall org management generally gives a lot of lip service often without much to back it up * The talent density on most teams is pretty sparse. There are some rock star teams and definitely some rock star people, but they're few and far between. * Most managers aren't really technical, so they really have no idea what you're doing/how to judge your work, and as a result, how much of a merit increase you should get. Ultimately, this creates a culture (at least partially) where many people just try to seem important/busy, the old don't do anything all day, but send an email at 9pm makes it look like you're working late into the night trick.