Glad I did it, equally glad I'm not doing it anymore
Pros
- Smart people; juniors are especially hungry/ambitious - Structured environment with trainings and clear career path - Widely recognized brand name - Fun lifestyle for young people (e.g., flying business class, staying in nice hotels) - Fast-paced environment
Cons
- Higher concentration of toxic personalities vs. other industries; private equity teams are particularly affected - Transactional culture with focus on winning-at-all-cost, leading to accepting any client request instead of pushing back - Lack of boundaries, leading to significantly long hours (e.g., days regularly ending at 3am / 4am) and occasional weekend work - Going above-and-beyond is expected, and a bad day at work may significantly alter career trajectory - Feedback is very heterogenous, despite similar performance; project leaders may choose to build narratives against employees at their discretion - General atmosphere of fear and limited trust and camaraderie - Tendency of viewing junior employees as resources rather than colleagues - "Panic mode", high levels of risk aversion, and limited guidance are the default on many projects, leading to less-than-ideal learning environments
