Pros
~Good salary, decent benefits ~Great job for those who have figured out how to put in the least amount of effort and get the same pay as those who are productive. ~Nearly impossible to get fired. It truly is a slackers paradise. ~Tuition benefit is great. When my graduate degree is awarded I will be looking elsewhere.
Cons
~Impossible to get ahead unless you know someone or are a person they poach from the outside; very slim opportunities for those who think they can work there way up - it pretty much doesn't exist. ~Can be equally qualified for the same job (or have slightly better qualifications with specialty certifications that meet the department requirements), but if you don't know someone from the hiring department you won't get an interview - or you will get the courtesy- we have to interview 3 or 4 people even though we already know who we are going to hire interview. ~Foolish business model, for example rather than deal with the problem, they recently created an entire department to "project manage" (i.e. babysit) one area that wasn't producing. ~Quickly get to know the people most likely to throw you under the bus and avoid them if you can. Every department has at least one, some have "gangs" that do it just for entertainment.