Pros
A job that pays, you learn a lot as you go, some cool people.
Cons
Management has no backbone, little loyalty to employees, and lacks the empathy needed to effectively lead people. One of the biggest issues is the assumption that strong individual contributors automatically make good managers so many leaders are promoted without the people-management skills required to actually support their teams. There is also a significant disconnect between executive leadership and employees. Staff are expected to entertain and impress executives during visits, yet the COO struggles to remember the names of employees who have worked there for over a decade, mixes up the names of VIP clients, and then blames other departments. These are the same execs employees are expected to bring into client meetings and represent us professionally. The culture feels heavily influenced by relationships and optics rather than performance. Nepotism and referrals are prevalent among internal leadership positions (CEOs son is a team lead??) Compensation is a major concern. Salaries are below market standards, paid sick leave policies are restrictive, and there is little transparency around career progression or advancement opportunities. The high turnover speaks for itself. Most frustrating is the disconnect between leadership and the employees. Execs flaunt their earnings and success while many consultants struggle to afford basic living expenses. The focus is on personal bonuses, metrics, and optics rather than ensuring consultants receive suitable placements and long term support.