Vantaggi
Good place to learn the ropes of being a knowledge worker. Entry level positions provide opportunities to learn and practice customer interaction, process management, time management, etc. that are applicable in other roles in the company and/or in other companies period. Good performance at the entry level puts you in good favor with middle management.
Svantaggi
Recruitment is shady. Sometimes, promotions out of one position into another may sometimes be driven by middle management's need to fill a position rather than the need select and hire the most competent candidate. Though, how can they be blamed when their managers and directors, the departmental and divisional managers, show favoritism towards certain employees and display a habit of announcing people into positions -- positions that were never opened for application INTERNALLY? This has all led to my distrust of the managers of my department and division -- I question their intentions and their competence when good and valuable employees feel shafted from opportunities because they never had the chance to apply because they never knew a position was opening up. SHAMEFUL!