Pros
1. compensation & benefits were competitive (DSP, salary, number of vacation days, freebies) 2. experience - big projects, opportunity for impact 3. coworkers - there are some good people if you can figure out who to trust
Cons
1. It is a bully and blame-filled atmosphere cloaked in values that only apply down the food chain, not up. Very political -- backbiting while smiling in your face. The Compliance department carries a big stick, with the current CEO comes out of Compliance. Can feel like they are the police. 2. Declining industry with 3 rounds of layoffs in 5 years. Future layoffs very possible in 2014/15. There is a sense of the inevitable and joking about golden handcuffs. 3. A narrow recruiting strategy that is limited to hiring very young, inexperienced college students (from 20 universities). They are hired as interns then "converted" to full time hires. These young people are pushed up the management ladder without sufficient training in how to manage people and the business -- trial by fire. Some make it, many don't. As a result, Altria is always hiring. If you are a University Hire, you have many automatic opportunities for exposure and advancement. If you are a seasoned professional there is no career advancement. People are blacklisted quickly when they decline to move or do not have the right image. 4. Throwing money at problems instead of getting to the root cause. Lots of money to be thrown around for consultants.