Where to start....
- People get promoted to Manager based on Associate skills, meaning that they have no idea about how to actually "manage" a team. Their biggest priority is to find underlings who can carry the biggest load possible.
- Every level (Analyst, Associate, Manager, etc.) thinks it is in the worst position in the hierarchy. does it ever get better?
- Travel, travel, travel. Other firms are moving the needle on work/life improvement and balance. The only time you will hear about benefits/improvements is when you're recruiting because no one wants to tell you straight up that it's horrible. They should.
- No support whatsoever. Once you're hired, you're given a superficial support apparatus: a mentor, partner meetings, ombudsman. This has all the actual vigor and strength of a beetle. Your mentor is almost always traveling, so face-to-face time is impossible, and they almost never go to bat for you in terms of helping you get on projects, etc. The ones who do are rare gems.
- 80-90% hate being there. I don't know how much I can emphasize this, but in talking to my colleagues, almost everyone is desperate to get out. Friends at MBB complain about their hours, tough clients, etc., but people at ATK are miserable in a totally different way. It's gutting.
- Job prospects are slim. The alumni network is fairly worthless -- go to an alumni event and don't be surprised to find a scantily populated room. Everyone is so tired and unappreciated that it's hard to feel good about being part of the network. Even the brightest people I knew at ATK found exit opportunities on their own...the bulk seem to go back to their old clients.
- The culture is toxic in that people are rewarded for their excel ability and willingness to sacrifice personal time for work i.e. take that call on Saturday morning, or sleep 4 hours a night for 3 weeks straight without any gratitude. What happens is that people assume this is the only way to succeed at the firm, meaning that you retain/favor those who are willing to lay their lives down for work. Is that your model employee?
