Pros
NBC Universal, owned by General Electric, is an extraordinary company to work for. There are a vast number of reasons for this. For one, employees receive an excellent benefits package. GE coverage includes health & medical, dental and vision. Nowadays, with the price of virtually everything skyrocketing through the roof (have you seen gas prices lately?), it becomes increasingly imperative to have sufficient coverage. As a fairly recent graduate, I'm proud to say that my package with NBC Universal is better than any of my peers, and even a great number of family members, who have worked for the same company for years. They also offer a 401k plan. Likewise, I feel that my pay is fair and decent for a position just above entry level. I get 11 sick days, 5 personal days and a week off in the unfortunate case of bereavement. I am afforded two weeks off, paid, during the holiday season in December. Between the months of late April to the end of August, when we are not in the middle of the tape season, I have every Friday off. This means I work Monday-Thursday, and I only work between the hours of 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Finally, I have three weeks off, paid, during these months. Therefore, although during the regular season I am expected at the studio by 7:00 am three days a week (9:00 am two days a week), it is well worth it for the generally relaxing summer hours that I am allotted. NBC Universal employees are also privy to a great number of discounts. This includes hotels, theatre tickets, sporting events, travel cell phones, rental cars, etc. I was surprised to find that just mentioning that I work for NBC Universal has gotten me a massive amount of discounts, many times in cases that I was not even expecting. Of course, we also get discounts at the Universal Studios theme parks, including Islands of Adventure, as well as on GE appliances. I just booked a trip to Orlando, utilizing my discounts on park tickets, hotels and even saved $30 per day on a car rental, merely by working for the company. The company, and namely president and CEO Jeff Zucker, are very big on communication and organizing employee events. There are mass emails sent out to everyone within the network informing us of recent news, new programming, exciting changes, various opportunities to do volunteer work with fellow employees, concerns that employees have expressed and much more. They also encourage every employee to "go green" and strive to make efforts to further the cause, something that I personally find commendable and very important right now. On Earth Day this past year, there was a huge NBC wide event in New York City that included employees from multiple NBC Universal offices planting trees at various parks around the city. Celebrities, such as Bette Midler, came out to show support for a greener, healthier environment. They also express a desire for employees to get involved with charities, as they are willing to match donations. It is inspiring to work for a company that attempts to do good in the world. To conclude, one can't go without mentioning the prestige of the very name "NBC Universal." Individually, NBC and Universal were both extremely successful, highly respected companies. Together, they are a powerhouse of accomplishment. Producing some of my favorite programs such as "Friends," "Will & Grace," "The Office," etc., there is no denying the high level of quality that is delivered by the network. I am truly proud to be an employee of NBC Universal and hope to grow within the company for many years to come.
Cons
Honestly, the downsides are few and far between. I suppose the only thing I could consider to be a downside (although it could also be considered a pro in some instances, rather than a con) is that it is such a massive company. This could certainly be intimidating to someone who is not used to working for a large corporation. It can make a person feel slightly more expendable than if they were to work for a smaller company in which the president and/or CEO is actually accessible and working within the same building. Employees of NBC Universal are not only spread throughout various offices in New York City, but in various offices around the world. If you prefer more personal, small scale operations, this may not be the place for you. But if you are looking to grow within a big, well established company with a great number of people to learn from, I certainly wouldn't consider its grand size too much of a downside.