Pros
The company is a good place to work if you want to see the world while you work. This is especially true if you work in the field organization or you are a good performer. You may get to go to places that you would otherwise never visit. The employees at the company are truly an international mix and even though the company is headquartered in Houston, it still retains much of its French and European roots. In my opinion, the company fosters a serve-yourself attitude in employees, allowing those that strive for more to eventually get it. In general, I would say the workplace is very dynamic and it is quite difficult to become bored. I have met some of the brightest and enthusiastic employees at Schlumberger versus other places I have worked. In terms of technology, Schlumberger works on some of the most difficult problems to solve, including those where high temperature, pressure, and lack of cross-referenced data is available, which creates an all-you-can-eat buffet of knowledge and innovation.
Cons
Sometimes there is a feeling that the company is disorganized in middle management, likely due to the fact that middle managers and some senior managers are constantly moving between different positions, usually staying no more than 2 years in many roles. It would seem the company culture is such that it believes in the inherent intelligence and flexibility of its employees, thus putting a good deal of stress on them to perform in situtations where it isn't really clear what the job position should be. The disorganization can lead to demotivation as well since some employees are not in a position long enough to accurately evaluate the performance of other employees, for good or for bad, thus causing delays in positive (or negative) appraisals. In terms of technology, it can be overwhelming to design or maintain the large number of high-tech gadgets and customized services that the company offers while also taking care of everyday logistical issues. There simply aren't enough people to take care of some critical tasks.
