Pros
My favourite things about Computronix are the people and the level of challenge. When Computronix hires, they look for character, aptitude, and a drive to learn. The result is that my coworkers are the kind of people I want to be around and the kind of people I want to work with. Regarding challenge, I have worked for companies before where I am bored for months on end because I am not given challenging work. I have worked for companies before where I am floundering and discouraged because I am given work that is way beyond my current knowledge and ability, and I am not given the support I need to train in the skills and knowledge I need. Computronix hits a sweet spot in between, where I am constantly challenged enough that my work is interesting and I can grow, but never so challenged without support that I cannot succeed. Professional growth is largely self-directed, with support from your supervisor, so that those who want to grow quickly can do so, and those who enjoy the comfort of the familiar can grow at their own pace. Computronix cares about people and will treat you with respect and trust. They support staff in difficult times. Most projects seem to be managed well so that there is little or no need for overtime as deadlines approach, but when you work for a company that supports you in difficult times, it makes it easy to go the extra mile on those occasions when the company could especially use it.
Cons
As a software developer, a lot of the technologies you will be using are used only by Computronix and some of our clients. This can be a downside if you ever have to move away and find work somewhere else, because many software companies foolishly hire developers based on their familiarity with programming languages and IDEs. We do use a fair amount of PL/SQL, some Python, and a bit of C#/ASP.NET, and Computronix software developers learn many transferrable skills regarding good coding practice, testing, development methodology, team collaboration, design patterns, etc., but these can be a hard sell in an interview if the interviewer is looking for somebody with so many hours programming in language X. If you're not self-driven, professional growth can be very slow. Starting salaries are average and depend primarily on experience rather than education, so if you have a fancy education, it won't do much for your starting salary (meaning that your starting salary will be below average for somebody with your education). However, the work culture, environment, and benefits more than make up for the lower salary, and if your fancier education has given you a greater aptitude, you can advance to higher-paying developer positions in as much time as it takes to prove yourself, and you will be given every opportunity to prove yourself, so it might only take a year or two.
