Good pay, long hours, lots of politics
Pros
The best things about Goldman Sachs are that they pay very well. This should be taken with a grain of salt though because the hours a longer than other industries. So, if you are offered 100k but are working 12 hour days, you would really only be making 66k at a job where the hours are normal. They are also pretty flexible if the job can allow it. There are people who work from home one day a week, have special schedules, etc. the work is interesting and busy. The days go by quickly even though they are long. It seems like there is never a dull moment. When I first started at GS 10 years ago, the work was like most entry level jobs, meaning there was a lot of repetitive day to day work. However, the work evolved over time just like any job and has become more analytical and value add. There is a huge focus on diversity.
Cons
I have 4 direct managers who have different agendas and don't communicate well with each other leaving me with multiple competing tasks. The firm works people long hours. There are retention problems because of work life balance. The median age is 25 because the older folks with families can't make the hours work and still spend time with their kids. While they claim that their culture is consensus driven, it has shifted over the years to be more directive. They also tote that their employees are a most valuable asset but don't seem concerned with giving them more personal time. Head count reductions over the years have come with no backfill but the same amount of work. Their perception is that you are lucky to be working there among the cream of the crop and that "it's not for everyone". Most VPs I know are looking for jobs somewhere else and are only still there because they haven't found another job.
