FINRA reviews

If you think that a non-for-profit, self-regulatory organization would be sleepy and slow-paced, this is not for you; performance expectations are set very high and the work can be intense. The organization is in the midst of very positive changes, and if you're not flexible, adaptable and willing and able to reinvent your work, this is not the place for you.

I don't even know where to begin. Little things like our technology platform are sorely lacking. We are also sitting on a decent amount of cash and yet I don't think my bonuses have ever been anything to brag about. The pay structure/grade system also could be a bit more generous. If you want to attract and keep talent, pay them what they're worth. A simple concept that's missed by the bigwigs who run things from on high on K Street. Senior Management appears to be pretty misguided and/or clueless at best, but most likely apathetic. There's no career guidance, let alone room for advancement. In my case, I came to FINRA as a recent MBA grad who already had five years of industry experience. Little did I know that FINRA prefers to hire freshly minted law school grads with no job experience, period, and virtually no industry experience other than what one can read in a textbook. We're supposed to be regulating the financial industry and those who have industry experience are somewhat frowned upon instead of being used as a resource. I have been with FINRA for five years, and have tried to transfer to different departments solely in an effort to gain more experience in different functional areas (we are way too silo'ed, if that's a word). Sadly, I was told by various HR reps that my resume was deemed "too light" by hiring managers for those positions I applied to, although the positions I applied to were well within my pay grade, or the next level higher. When I've tried to fight to get promoted to the next pay grade in my current role, I am told that I was passed over but to "keep doing what you're doing". Probably the worst career guidance I've ever received. So if you do the math, I've been here five years with no promotion ever earned, yet I've seen my department hire tons of law school grads, only to see them walk out two years later and replaced with another law school grad. Meanwhile, those of us who been "loyal" feel like we get crapped on constantly. I think the philosophy of my department is to replace the bodies once they go cold. In short, this company is run by lawyers who appear to just backstab each other in order to get ahead while playing C-Y-A doing it. Meanwhile, the Analysts who are loyal suffer and the morale in the office just sucks. I now find myself in a position that I can't get out of, with a unique skill set that, since I am not a lawyer, does not help me in my job search/career development.