Citi consists of fiefdoms where you can always hide! - Senior Associate Citi Employee Review

2.0
Oct 30, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Large platform -Good franchise -Deep lending relationships -Attracts the second tier of people from undergrad + grad school and hence people are more "down to earth" (but on the con side, not as good as GS,JPM,MS)

Cons

-Consists of several fiefdoms that are highly political and competitive -You can always hide in this firm -Bureaucratic like Communist Russia - only those with connections to the polit-bureau remain -No one cares about clients - only their own jobs -Massive teams that are double staffed up the wazoo... -No one really takes any ownership -Extremely sharp elbows -Quality of people is generally below that of JPMorgan or Merrill Lynch -

Explore other reviews about Citi

5.0
Apr 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Strong name recogition. Global footprint

Cons

Outdated trading systems, hyper competitive equities department due to relatively lower street ranking

3.0
Jul 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Hybrid schedule, supportive managers, opportunities

Cons

Once you’re in, comp basically plateaus. Layoffs are happening across the board, which tends to be the full-time culture of citi. The vibe is very much “run lean” until something actually breaks, and only then consider adding headcount. You have to be intentional about protecting your work-life balance, because the implicit expectation is that you’re always on—24/7, 365—without the support of a properly staffed team.

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