Oracle is one of the largest software companies in the world, providing cloud applications and platforms that are used by individuals and businesses alike.
When you want to embrace the tech side of things, Oracle can be a great company to work for.
There are both pros and cons to working for them, so it is best to know what to expect before you choose to apply with Oracle.
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Pros of Working for Oracle
With Oracle being such a large company, it can provide an array of benefits for you to enjoy as an employee.
1. Great Pay
The average annual salary given to Oracle employees is an impressive $136,000 – and that breaks down to approximately $65 per hour.
Of course, the wages will depend on your position.
The highest-paid job is a Director of Sales, earning a bit over $300,000 a year.
Meanwhile, an office manager earns a salary of around $50,000.
What you earn depends on your experience, your education, and the way in which you negotiate.
There are a lot of benefits provided to employees at Oracle.
In addition to the standard package of health, dental, and vision, you are also given access to life insurance, disability insurance, a health savings account, and more.
There is a strong focus on well-being, complete with access to physical and mental health perks.
You will have an employee assistance program for counseling, be able to obtain adoption assistance, and more.
3. Lots of Learning Opportunities
There are various learning opportunities with Oracle.
You will have access to various programs within your position.
Additionally, you can seek a degree as part of employee training and development.
Tuition reimbursement is available with manager approval, allowing you to focus on a degree that is related to your job – up to $5250 per calendar year.
4. Good Work-Life Balance
Oracle works to provide you with a strong work-life balance so that you can form relationships and enjoy a family.
You will not be working all the time.
Instead, you will be given sick time, paid holidays, a leave of absence for various reasons, and a winter break that spans from Christmas to New Year.
Additionally, you will accrue 13 days of vacation per year for the first three years with the company and 18 after that.
5. Lots of Training
The company provides a lot of training to help you understand the role in which you were hired.
You will conduct some of the training with the HR department and some of it within your department.
Depending on the position, you may even shadow another employee for a while until you are ready to go on your own.
Ongoing training is also provided so that you can reach for other positions within the company.
6. Flexibility to Telework
Many positions provide you with the opportunity to telework.
Often, the rule is that if you live more than 50 miles away from your location, you can telework.
There are often ways that you can telework for other reasons, as long as it is approved by management.
This can offer you a significant amount of flexibility, help with your work-life balance, and prevent you from having to deal with a commute.
7. Lots of Projects to Work On
There are always new projects going on at Oracle.
This allows you to get involved in various tasks and have something fun and exciting to work on.
You will rarely get bored when you work for Oracle because of its innovative approach to technology.
Plus, you will get a chance to share your ideas, which can lead to the next big project that comes out of the company.
8. Multiple Locations to Choose From
The company is based around the world.
The headquarters are in Austin, Texas and you will find field offices in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, and beyond.
There are also data centers in 20 countries including Brazil, Germany, Australia, and more.
You can choose to work wherever you desire – and you may even find that you are asked to transfer to a different location than where you started.
9. Good Retirement Program
The retirement program with Oracle is in the form of a 401k – and it is a great one so that you can build your retirement savings quickly.
You are allowed to contribute up to 10% of your base salary, and there is a 50% match on the first 6%.
You are fully vested within four years of working for them.
Additionally, you have the ability to purchase company stock and receive a 5% discount on the shares.
10. Looks Great on a Resume
Oracle has recently been identified as the third-largest tech company in the world.
That means that putting them down as a former employer is going to look great on your resume.
When you openly announce that you work for Oracle, you may even find that you get job offers from other companies, inviting you to make the move to a different tech company.
Cons of Working for Oracle
There are cons to working for such a large, diverse company.
Knowing the cons will help you to know what you are getting yourself into.
1. Hiring Process is Long
The time it takes from submitting your resume to the time you are offered a position with Oracle can take months.
You may have to go in for several interviews, conducted over the phone and in person.
Even after the interviews, there may be several follow-up questions that slow the entire process down.
In the meantime, you may have turned other positions down in hopes of getting hired by Oracle.
2. Poor Work Culture
There’s a poor work culture as there isn’t anything “above and beyond” for the employees who work for Oracle.
Some point out that other tech companies have entire complexes to attract employees.
Oracle offers discounts and employee benefits, but they do not do anything to keep employees happy.
There are no company picnics, there are no free lunches, and there are no arcades or exciting breakrooms.
3. Promotions are Hard to Get
Promotions are hard to get because of how competitive the company is.
The company pays well, and they don’t necessarily hire from within.
They will be just as happy to hire a college graduate with a great resume as they will to hire you if you’ve just earned your degree while working at the company for the past five years.
You will need to attract management’s attention to even be considered for any of the open positions that you qualify for.
4. Lots of Micromanagement
The company has a lot of managers – perhaps more managers than they need.
As a result of this, many employees feel as though they are being micromanaged over deadlines, productivity, and general output.
This also leads to more stress on the job because there is always someone peering over their shoulders or double-checking what they’re doing or when something will be sent over.
5. Bureaucracy
There are over 130,000 employees within Oracle, so it is a large company that operates worldwide.
With large companies comes a lot of bureaucracy.
You will find that there’s a lot of hierarchy, and many employees will say that there is a lot of top-down leadership that goes on.
You will find that there are a lot of rules and regulations that do not make a lot of sense.
And the company will make political statements periodically that may not align with your own values.
6. Limited Input on Decisions
You will not have much input on the decisions made by the company.
There are very few surveys sent out throughout the year, so the company is clearly not interested in what employees have to say about any of the hot topic issues.
Additionally, a core group incorporate are the ones making the big decisions.
You either accept them or you don’t.
7. Raises are Low
Many employees complain that raises are low in comparison to other companies.
Once you are hired by the company, you will not see your salary climb unless you get promoted to a higher-paid position.
Many say that the annual raises are not even capable of covering the general cost of living increases, with most saying that they saw a rise of only 1 to 1.5 percent.
8. Retention is Low
The company does not invest a lot in retaining its employees.
Many past employees complain that they focus on giving too much money to corporate executives and not enough to current employees that are doing all of the work.
The result of all of this is that employees grow tired of seeing new employees come in being paid higher than they’ve been getting paid – and they are forced to train the newly hired employees that are earning more.
Pros and Cons of Working at Oracle – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for Oracle | Cons of Working for Oracle |
|---|---|
| 1. Great Pay | 1. Hiring Process is Long |
| 2. Premium Benefits | 2. Poor Work Culture |
| 3. Lots of Learning Opportunities | 3. Promotions are Hard to Get |
| 4. Good Work-Life Balance | 4. Lots of Micromanagement |
| 5. Lots of Training | 5. Bureaucracy |
| 6. Flexibility to Telework | 6. Limited Input on Decisions |
| 7. Lots of Projects to Work On | 7. Raises are Low |
| 8. Multiple Locations to Choose From | 8. Retention is Low |
| 9. Good Retirement Program | |
| 10. Looks Great on a Resume |
Should You Work for Oracle?
Oracle is a growing company that is highly praised for its tech contributions.
While based in Austin, there are locations around the globe.
By taking the time to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of the company, you can decide if it’s the right kind of work environment for you.
Do not be afraid to ask questions during the job interview and negotiate so that you can love the career that you have.
I love the diverse opportunities Oracle provides, allowing me to grow both personally and professionally which is great!
The flexible work culture at Oracle is a game-changer for achieving work-life balance. It’s great for employees like myself.
Being a part of Oracle means being at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, constantly challenging and sharpening my skills.