Pros
You can and are expected to retire here with a pension. Not many places can say that. The pay is pretty good starting out. The campus is beautiful and the amenities are like something you dream about. It's a safe company; like the ark during the flood you'll be fine here even if gas prices go to the crapper. Fairly ethnically diverse for a company of its size. Perfect employer for engineers and scientists who are risk averse but fairly good with people... you really cannot do better. They only promote from within. The company works every decision thoroughly.
Cons
Compensation growth does not even keep up with inflation. People were working as interns making more than folks did in comparable positions with the same degrees who had been there for years. The culture is extremely toxic; it's more important to look good in front of your boss than it is to actually build wealth for shareholders. I felt like almost everyone there was trying to pretend they kept it all together but inside they were dying. It's far too siloed. Controllers is separate from Treasurers is separate from the business is separate from Tax. It's like the military-just execute on your small part and don't think too generally (at least not early in your career). Feedback is lacking. I don't know how people are expected to learn things without timely, honest, and specific feedback. In my experience, I was doing things that weren't liked in October but wasn't told about it until February despite having regular meetings with my boss about performance. The main campus is in Spring. Houston is a wonderfully diverse city but Spring is not- at all (even though the company is moderately diverse). It's the suburbs and it's far from the good part of the city. If you like diverse places and decide to live in Houston be prepared for a long commute both ways. I came into work already tired many days. The company doesn't respect your background unless you're an engineer or a scientist. If you majored in history or accounting or business or what have you and got an MBA it doesn't matter- engineers will be promoted to real manager positions (except for some select functions) even when what they do has nothing to do with engineering. And specifically, if you are an MBA really weigh in your heart whether you can suck your pride and be a second class lemming here unless you studied engineering undergrad. There is a caste system at work here. I've heard it's not like that at Conoco Phillips, Shell, BP, etc. It's something unique to the ExxonMobil culture. I'm not sure whether that piece of the culture is heritage Exxon of heritage Mobil. The company only promotes from within so it has a ton of deeply entrenched groupthink. And it is dangerous to your career to challenge the collective blindspots, unless you have made everyone love or respect you. I'm serious.
