Pros
- Fun group of coworkers (but can be kind of cliquey). - Beautiful office with gorgeous views. - Great location, right downtown. - Rowdy after-work social gatherings. - Opportunity to make a ton of money despite having minimal brain cells and no expertise. - Career growth for people who thrive in cut-throat, manipulative, and disingenuous environments.
Cons
- I completely agree with whoever said that Baystate is "totally devoid of any competent professionals or people of substance. In short, a nightmare." That's spot-on. There is a meager handful of smart folks scattered throughout the company, but unfortunately they are few and far between. - Because the focus is 100% on profits, not people (clients or employees), in many cases advisor support staff are seen as cheap, replaceable labor, and may even be slandered after they leave. - Compensation is low, with many advisors offering no benefits whatsoever to admin staff, which is grossly hypocritical considering how many of them sell retirement planning solutions and advocate for tax-advantaged savings strategies. - The lack of an HR department facilitates an environment where management and senior advisors feel like they can do whatever they want and act however they please, without any repercussions. - Anyone who is struggling for any reason (i.e. mental health or personal family issues) is given no support. And in general, the firm shows no compassion, understanding or flexibility. The only thing that matters is improving the bottom line... even if that means stepping on someone's broken bones to do it.