Pros
So just to clarify, Neutrogena is a part of Johnson & Johnson. That being said, it is a huge corporation, so of course there are going to be office politics. But from my observations and personal experience, if you work hard and have strong performance, you will be compensated fairly for it. The promotion process may be a little longer than if you went to a start-up, but again, that is typical for large corporations. And the benefits, training, experience you get outweigh that in my opinion.
Pros:
- Compensation: Pay is higher than most CPG companies in the area. As BM at J&J, you make much more than the average salaries you will see on something like salary.com.
- Work/life balance: This is of course dependent on time of year and what you are working on, but J&J is very family oriented and flexible. If you need to leave earlier to pick your kids, go to an appointment, etc. most managers are understanding. My typical day is 8:30-5:30pm. Of course, you need to build trust with your manager that you will get your work done on time.
- Benefits: Great benefits since its J&J. They just increased their parental leave policy so its best in class for large companies. There is a company store on-site with discounts. Annual exercise reimbursement. Workout classes offered on-site throughout the year. Competitive vacation, bonus.
- People: Everyone you work with is super smart, which is refreshing. And it pushes you to work harder. Lot's of great friendships have been built over the years.
- Location: Easy to get to if you live on the West Side or South Bay. 20-30 minute commute.
- Global opportunities: Given J&J is a global company, there are opportunities to work internationally if you want to. It's a lot easier to get a job internationally through a company you already work for then trying to get hired.
- Philanthropy: A lot of opportunities to get involved in the community if you want to.
- Just working on a huge, well-known brand is a big plus. It's a great resume builder and invaluable experience. Neutrogena is growing, so also a great time to work here.
Cons
Path to promotion: Can seem long if you are coming from a smaller company, but is similar to other large CPG companies. They will rotate you a lot so you get the opportunity to work on different things and develop your skills. Also, higher compensation makes up for the longer promotion period. However, if you are willing to be more mobile (i.e. move to New Jersey,) upward mobility does increase substantially.
Location: It is near the airport, so not a ton of food options within walking distance. But there is a cafeteria on-site that has improved immensely over the past couple years and offers a lot of different options.