Pros
- The company possess a very structured graduate program for all discipline types (engineering, HR, IT, Finance, etc). In my opinion, you wont experience a better IT graduate program. - The company really values work life balance, they don't want you sticking around till late in the evening to prove you are a good worker. Sometimes if I worked late my line manager would ask why and then insist that I pack up and go home. - Everyone is there to support one another - you will rarely run into an individual that isn't a team player. I've never worked with such great people, and that statement applies to individuals from all different departments spanning from trading to retail and from project managers, business analyst all the way up to VPs and senior managers. - The benefits are great and the pay is industry standard. For London graduates are on a pretty sweet pay package, although not as much as the banks. But then again, the work life balance at Shell is SO MUCH BETTER than if you were at a bank or consulting firm.
Cons
- Depending on the price of oil and gas the company will restructure certain departments like HR and IT. By restructure I mean offer voluntary severance packages in an attempt to reduce the workforce and save money. But if you are good and have a good Individual Performance Rating then you will be fine. But for the "average joes" or those that were rated poorly by a rubbish manager, goodluck! - Sometimes HR will push a graduate within a team that is clearly not mean't to host graduates. HR really needs to make sure that graduate are getting the right level of support and management and that they are in a role that isn't going to crush their soul.