Pros
Many fine,well-meaning, smart and driven people, great benefits, work is very connected to current events, perfect size in terms of numbers of people, innovative, gives people tools they need to do their job.
Cons
Culture is inconsistent: some parts of firm are excellent areas to work in, with a strong ethos of learning and a focus on stressing individual and firm growth while other areas have more zero-sum approach that views employees as resource to be consumed and replaced, lack of empathy and concern from some senior and middle managers about providing paths of opportunity for individuals, 'open door' policies often insincere and indicative of favoritism, with requests for feedback that is either ignored or regarded with contempt/offense, pockets of arrogance and self-centeredness in some investment teams. HR issues: once hired into one function, many people are tracked and unable to change course, values new employees and recruitment more than existing employees, sometimes places people in wrong jobs because not always interested in fit, seems intentionally ambiguous how to apply for different job, with different gatekeepers depending on circumstance, review process only takes into account what the firm considers germane and does not allow employees to showcase outside accomplishments as basis for promotion or job change.
