Oh ComputerWorld, I once respected you
Pros
- Bene's for "upper-non-management" grades are good - People generally good - WFH often viable (depending on position) - Despite demonizing, insurance allows many to get medical coverage they might not otherwise
Cons
WOW, where do I begin? Seriously, I'll admit to being a casualty of lay-off, but can make strong arguments that my failure was in not having worked previously with the new regime. The business side is plausible, but in IT, it is ABSOLUTELY LAUGHABLE that ComputerWorld listed them as viable, much less best. Specific to IT: = In 2008, WLP realized they spent 1/2 of what their competitors did on IT. The 2009 budget included about a 5% increase. = 2009 saw outsourcing of all field support with a corresponding drop in service. = New directions are defined every year and when one is deemed broken, they roll out a whole new one with no visible consideration as to whether the original just needed tweaking or if the new will be any more effective. - Example 1: You need IT support for estimating a project that will not pay to get IT support until it has been estimated. See a catch-22? - Example 2: A set budget is put aside for enhancements each year. Once it's gone, you essentially wait til the following year to fix a problem. In 2009, it was allocated by sometime around February. = 2009, about 1/3 of all servers in use were too old to remain supported by vendors. = Software is almost always at least a full generation behind current, often more. = Since October 2009, FIVE rounds of layoffs have hit software development literally erasing thousands of years of industry / company experience in deference to continuing to pay Accenture and similar companies, as well as increasing offshoring. Anecdotally, two of my three former team members have left IT altogher. Many others are looking elsewhere.