Pros
Decent pay and benefits, talented and smart colleagues. Some interesting work to be a part of.
Cons
Too much focus on insignificant details and “protecting the brand” that no one has heard of. Focus on the big picture gets lost. Most managers and departments have no idea how to prioritize work and will spend weeks and months on tasks and projects that are worthless. No one to hold them accountable for their wastefulness. Decisions take forever to get made and require the input of 100s of managers, which is indicative of a micromanaging culture. RAND tends to promote Type A, anal-retentive personalities to management and it shows in their lack of agility and creativity. You have to track your time in 6 minute increments and this is heavily scrutinized. It is a job in itself which you get no extra time to complete. Better time those bathroom breaks well. Toxic culture of blaming, bus-chucking, and intimidation. New ideas and ways of working are encouraged in theory only. Open office setup will be the future work space. Enjoy being distracted and surveilled around the clock? Overall, it’s like working in the 1950s. Nice if you’re nostalgic for outdated ways of running a business.