The worst part about working at the headquarters is the 3-year wait to get into the parking garage. The only other option is to park a mile away and take a shuttle. Which involves fighting for a parking space, waiting long periods in the rain and cold, bumping through the industrial district in a shuttle with no shocks, and getting held up as much as a half hour by trains (I cross 5 train tracking coming to/from work, and have been delayed up to an hour). Also, the stadiums are close by, so when a game lets out, the traffic can delay you an hour or more as well. The commute/parking is a nightmare! I'm looking for another job just because of the commute/parking headaches.
Also: Anything you did before you came to Starbucks doesn't count. They put a premium on tenure, and on "retail experience," i.e., starting out as a barista in the stores. If you are an expert in your field but do not have tenure or store experience, you expertise counts for nothing. If you start as a new employee, you get no sick leave, almost no vacation, and you have to wait 3 years to get into the parking garage. If you don't already work for Starbucks, don't start. You won't have enough seniority.
Oh, and accomplishments don't count either. It is not what you do, it is who you know. If you are very political and make the right friends, you will do fine. If you are merely fabulous at what you do, you will fail. You must be a schmoozer.
