IBM Reviews in Washington, DC Area

Pros

Great people , assets and forward thinking management.
Teleworking
Flexible time.

Cons

Pay not so competitive.
If you are in Software Group like I was it is important you are in CA, MA or in Raleigh to get promoted .

Advice to Senior Management

Pay deserving employees more and bring back thank you award system. Give the opportunity to technical leaders to attend Information On Demand conferences and not for people managers

Pros

Good working relationships within Strategy and Change practice

Cons

Large complex sales process with many parties involved

Advice to Senior Management

Provide single points of leadership v. complicated project structures

Pros

Huge, financially sound company, run with ruthless efficiency, that will win the IT war in the end through acquisition and brute force rather than product leadership.

Cons

For the most part IBM is comprised of very average people. People can hide out for years in a company this size without ever really being noticed.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep acquiring, it will be you and oracle in the end.

Pros

Good opportunities
Not much pressure
Learn new technologies

Cons

Not much to add except lots of processes

Advice to Senior Management

None

Pros

Stellar reputation and merit pay, raises and bonuses. They truly tie your experience, effort and quality output to your deserved compensation. Simply put-- if you don't produce at a high level, then go elsewhere. There are plenty of ambitious, quality driven professionals that are willing to step in to pick up of baseless complainers that troll this sight.

Cons

I'm overcompensated and underworked. Three weeks of vacation and eighty hours of personal development are more than enough.

Advice to Senior Management

Great job, keep it up!

Pros

Consistently in some category of "Top XYZ of companies to work for," wide range of services and project opportunities, reputation and brand recognition as a global leader.

Cons

Moving towards a virtual firm with little office interaction; VERY stingy with extras (providing cell phones or even reimbursement for consultants, few training dollars, no coffee or water provided in those offices that are left, etc.)

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to the feedback of people leaving the company (during the exit interview) and channel up the chain of command in order to identify and address trends and themes. Some basic needs are not being met and have been communicated by former employees who do care about the company.

Pros

Excellent earnings in a pleasant atmosphere. Work at home encouraged.

Cons

The matrix is enormous at IBM.

Pros

Name recognition.
Learn early on how to manuever through company politics.

Cons

IBM doesn't make good use of employee skill sets. FInding opportunities of interest is extremely difficult. Project placement is purely based on need and not where you best fit given your experience and background.

Advice to Senior Management

Do some analysis on the experience and education of your employess and do a better job of placing them.

Pros

- The sky is the limit
- Clearly defined career tracks
- Global experiences
- Extremely professional work culture

Cons

- Very tight expense management
- Hard to navigate at first

Advice to Senior Management

- Invest more in growing your people's skills through education

Pros

IBM is a large company with lots of different areas so if there is not an immediate fit, there are generally opportunities to find other areas to work in.

Cons

IBM has over the last several years performed well financially but distributed very low bonus payouts to employees, at least in the US. Additionally, IBM has very aggressively moved as many jobs as possible out of the US to low cost centers, resulting in layoffs every year.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop looking at the next 3-6 months as the time horizon to manage by. Take the long view and do what's right for the entire IBM community - to include the US population of employees.