MBA on the fence - Anonymous employee American Express Employee Review

3.0
Feb 18, 2010
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Generous PTO - A culture of professional development and mentorship - Ability to move around business units - Diversity of marketing roles - Encourages work-life balance

Cons

- Pay is abysmal. Many MBAs leave after Sr. Mgr because of the pay - Unfair and unbalanced compensation at Band 35 level. So many employees at Band 35 that the company "creates" stratification such as Asst. Mgr, Mgr, Sr.Mgr (though technically we're all at the same band.) An HR mess - promotion and compensation within Band 35 is highly variable across business units and inconsistent, creating grumblings among many. - Moving up to Director or VP is akin to waiting for someone to leave the company or die. Directors who have been wanting to be VP often power-trip on their Sr. Mgrs. - Crippled efficiency.Too consensus driven. Many "pre-meetings" before meetings.

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5.0
Jun 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great employee benefits such as annual bonus, PTO, 401K

Cons

Leadership isnt the best you are expected to figure things out on your own

5.0
Nov 26, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They have fantastic pay for the position you're in, and they teach you interesting and engaging utility of modern technology mixed with legacy fundamentals. I've learned quite a bit while AmEx while getting paid more than fairly - I'd recommend a stretch here to whomever may be reading this!

Cons

The Company is huge, and at times it may take more than a little time to get recognized for your abilities and the growth you've had. There's a reason there is a "only way up is out" reputation exists for some enterprise companies...

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