Vantaggi
I've worked for the company for nearly 30 years. During that time, I've had the opportunity to work in supply chain, marketing, IT, finance, distribution and with the international team (I like to call it career ADHD...). Many employees have similar career paths, using talents and passions where needed. Others have been happy to spend their whole career in the same department. Additionally, getting involved in projects can give you great exposure to several groups around the company. Most of the time, you see the direct impact of your work - from putting together a cost saving proposal to developing a new IT process to training international staff on a new product. If you see something you want to improve, many times, you can take the idea and run with it. The people here are truly amazing - I'm still in touch with people I worked with at the beginning. A real family. I'm now attending the weddings for children of co-workers I bought baby gifts for! Upper level managers you sit across from in a meeting will be the same ones you play softball with or chat about your weekend next to in the lunchroom. Benefits are amazing, but often taken for granted - $90 of one-of-a-kind product every month; onsite subsidized cafeteria and gym (miss this working from home); awesome insurance (increases have been very low over the last five years); profit sharing and excellent longevity bonuses; company events; and you can't beat the company seats at sporting events :-). It is a business to last a lifetime - I'm proof of that!
Svantaggi
There are times you have to be very self-motivated and self-directed. This is not a company of consistent feedback - which can be an advantage if you don't like to be micromanaged. I've worked for bosses I may communicate with only a few minutes a month (or every other month). So, it can sometimes be a challenge to know what you should be working on or how you are doing. It's not an 8-5 job and the KPI's can seem tough to reach at times, but if you understand the mission and your responsibility to customers, company, and people (and subsequently, the company's commitment to you), the sacrifices can be worth it.