Pros
It may be because Sony's corporate culture is Japanese, or that it is a global and diversified company but in my few years working there, I've never been seen layoffs or massive budget cuts. Yes, reorganizations have happened and departments were physically moved to other cities in the state but that's the extent of my observations. As such, if I wanted to Sony to be my last employer until I retire, there's a very good chance I could make it happen. And that's saying something for a Silicon Valley employer. Sony Electronics makes a lot of products, a lot of gadgets and has R&D teams behind all of them. Surely, there's more than one that will benefit from your expertise. The diversity and quantity of the projects at Sony is another plus it's got for itself. And no matter what consumers may think down the line of our products, they still ship. Oh yeah, that's right, you'll be working on products that ship. That's another thing not every Silicon Valley business can say.
Cons
Working in a Japanese company in the U.S. will be seen by most as an opportunity at first. Well, after some time, it becomes a challenge. And after more time, it can be a downright hindrance to progress as you imagine it in your non-Japanese mind. My personal contact with Japanese business people is non-existent. That means I get no exposure to the cultural aspect of the business but all the exposure to its decisions that I often don't understand. That can be frustrating at times. Mind you, that's true for any foreign company that has opened shop in the U.S. But, let's just say that some foreign companies are more foreign than others. Sony is not a software company. It's CEO recognizes that and wants it to change but, personally, I don't feel like waiting the 20 years for it to happen. For instance, there is no sense of community for people like me at the company level. As a software developer, I have countless online outlets available to me when I face some software related problem. But finding the other Sony employee who has the answer to your Sony-related question? That's unheard of.
