Pros
I really want to be fair. In the interest of full disclosure, I was laid off. I wasn't unhappy while I was working there until the sales environment dried up. I don't actually blame the partners for this. I have a theory that the awful winter pushed down the budgets of some of the big companies at which we were proposing projects. One project fell through after another and suddenly all my prospects were gone. Here are some of the pros... They have a cool, quirky culture (if they keep it). You can work from anywhere. The people are fun and engaging and I would definitely work with many if them again. I have a huge amount of respect for several of the partners. One actually helped me find my current position. I have fond memories of karma and the excitement of my first engagement. And the experience I gained really launched my career.
Cons
With that said, there are a number of things they really need to address. I read the last review from the satisfied current employee and there is one point they are truly wrong about... sky is definitely not the limit for those who work hard. I worked my tail off and earned the respect of my fellow employees (my colleagues were actually most helpful when it came to my job search). I networked like crazy within the firm and took on countless small projects with hopes of getting staffed. It just didn't happen. Part of the problem is the staffing process. They have one employee "managing" this who knows very little about each employee's actual capabilities... only resume experience. As you can imagine, this hurts the non-traditionally experienced new hires. The traditionally experienced employees, on the other hand, are often over-utilized. She honestly isn't a very good staffing person, but if you are friendly with her, you'll probably get some of the opportunities. She should absolutely not be managing a talent pool of over 100. Along with this, they tell you that if you work hard and reach out when you're on the bench, you will get staffed. Baloney. I hate how they blame the lower level employees for organizational failures. It's frankly luck- what project lands at what time and what partner sells what. I spoke with the talent manager several times and kept hearing "we don't have anything for you". Keep in mind, I was not saying no to ANY project opportunities. I did exactly what they told me to. It really is just a crap shoot. Nepotism is also popular among the partners. And in fact, there are one or two really talented people that happen to be related to the bosses. But, I think it's also fair to say that they are given the opportunities that others are not. They are protected and brought into solid projects. Another con is how women are often treated by some of the partners. We heard all about the lovely ladies of Kalypso. They hire young, pretty things and there is a sort of seediness that goes along with this. One of the partners gets a little "handsy" at certain events. I think he really thinks he's protecting the innocent young ones, but honestly, it's a little creepy. There shouldn't be rumours that someone was hired as an analyst with zero analytical ability because the button popped open on her blouse. Rediculous. If you want to become that professional services firm, be professional. No wonder the women have a lower satisfaction rating.