Pros
The only pro at this point is the insurance. It certainly wasn't always like this, but Carpenter has degenerated to the point that the insurance is the only good thing about the company.
Cons
Where to start? I was a long term employee who started with Carpenter some 20 years ago. At that time I can honestly say it was a good place to work, with good people and good management (and trust me, that isn't just rose-colored glasses). I stayed for more than 15 years and by the end Carpenter had become an oppressively negative place. Carpenter as a whole does not value its employees at all, and that is not hyperbole. Senior management consistently focuses on the negative, very rarely gives out positive feedback, has a terrible vacation and leave policy, and in general could not care less if you stay or go as they have qualms in telling you that you are replaceable. On to compensation. Carpenter pays well below market value for all jobs. Their philosophy can be summed up by what a member of senior operations management actually said to me once (almost verbatim): "We see what the market value for a position is, offer 30% less than that and hope we sometimes get lucky". A senior vice president actually said this to me once with the back-handed compliment of "I guess we got lucky with you". Also there is very little hope of career or wage advancement. Employees are not given annual reviews on performance, including management. Everyone is given the same blanket cost of living raise which generally ranges between 1 and 2%. So the worst performer gets the same meager raise as the best performer. It fosters an environment of just doing enough to get by and nothing more. This in turn encourages no attention to detail, no willingness to go the extra mile or work harder. If you want to step back into a well preserved time capsule circa 1965 then this is the place for you. If you want a modern company that fits into the current century then steer well clear.
