Pros
Travel abroad: one of the main reasons I joined Total was the opportunity to see the world. International mobility is a prerequisite for anyone considering working for Total. Work/life balance is quite good at Total....I've never seen a project get sacrificed for someone's summer 5-week vacation!
Cons
Coming from the ex-Total group (remember that Total purchased Fina then Elf), the new group certainly has the 'critical mass' to compete with its industry peers, but the overall level of responsibility for a given experience level has dropped dramatically compared to pre-merger days. It is felt by the majority of those coming from the ex-Total employees that we have entered into more of a 'study group' where much time and $ is spent on studies for 'studies sake'. - The company plays well the 'monopoly' on french-based employees: as they have a job for life (excepting any gross professional misconduct), the salary reflects that point and as a result is much lower than any non-French oil company.