Pros
Progressive is a Fortune 500 company that's know in the insurance industry as a leader in product development, pricing, segmentation, distribution and more. If you're interested in a career in insurance, especially as an actuary, other insurance companies are always looking to hire Progressive people. The benefits are good and the perks if you work in one of the main corporate offices are fantastic - including on site cafeterias, convenience stores, Health Services and Fitness Centers. The vacation plan is reasonable (20 days at 5 years of tenure) and, for exempt employees, most managers are very good about honoring vacations and offering flexible schedules.
Cons
Progressive places little value on the on-the-job knowledge and experience possessed by those who “grow-up” within the company, meaning outside candidates are frequently hired over internal promotions. And little emphasis is placed on building solid career advancement plans. For entry level analysts, this means that the opportunities for growth can seem extremely limited. There is an implicit glass ceiling that analysts frequently hit after 4-5 years with Progressive where they are expected to obtain an MBA in order to advance further. The problem is that Progressive offers little in the way of education assistance and places very little value on MBAs earned at institutions outside of the top-tier. This means that you’re basically expected to quit your job, obtain an MBA on your own, and then reapply for a higher level position (Product Manager or similar). While I had access to senior management from my first year, this is extremely unusual. Low level analysts typically have little opportunity to interact with senior management which can exacerbate the feelings of disconnect. Also, salary progression can be extremely slow unless you're one of the top performers or take advantage of negotiation opportunities when you change jobs. Most concerning, the company has been going through a lot of changes lately and the decisions and plans have been poorly communicated to employees leading to a lot of uncertainty, unrest and resentment. This means that even if management has solid reasoning for its choices, employees are unaware of them, leading to distrust and a lack of confidence.