Pros
- Mostly very friendly and knowledgeable people who truly understand their field. - Genuinely interesting day to day, lots of exposure to fantastic exhibitions and events as part of your job. - No crazy overtime expected (this can vary by department & job title). - Good place to start your career - depending on role/job title, can be a good foundation for both art and non-art careers. - Generally good culture, helpful and fun people
Cons
- Poor pay for London, in virtually all but senior roles. Very little room for negotiation and raises, even long-term. This ends up driving out some very talented people who need to work for a living. Staying long-term is only sustainable for independently wealthy people who don’t have to rely on a day job to survive. Entry-level roles aren’t too far from minimum wage. - Some managers/specialists are very poor at managing people (screaming for small mistakes, unprofessional/rude comments etc). - Very little wfh flexibility. - Too little training, you’re often expected to do things you’re not trained to properly perform. Good thing colleagues are very helpful