Pros
I'm a 23 year old Management Associate at Bridgewater, the first company for which I've worked out of college. I was given great latitude after my first six months, managing a small team of three in the Real Estate department. Most of my friends at peer institutions sit behind computers, organize legal briefings, and draft up financial models on Excell. I get to constantly interact with people, understand the way they think, help them better solve problems and, as a result, am appreciated for the work I produce. Only a year and a half in, my experience at Bridgewater has taught me how to think practically and rationally. And it's filled with some of the sharpest minds in the world. This is not the place for someone interested in "going through the motions." That type of mentality just doesn't fit in.
Cons
1) The work is hard and the people are demanding (the firm is obsessed with doing everything excellently). It's a painful place to work at times, and can feel extremely painful, if not downright ruthless, if you don't really understand/cannot connect to what the firm is trying to collectively accomplish (systematize the way decisions are made about people in the same way the firm has systematized the way decisions are made about the markets). 2) While the Management Associate program is relatively new (compared to the Investment Associate position), there isn't yet a clear development trajectory for my position. 3) Starting out, the content for my position can be hit-or-miss. Though depending on one's talent (potential and track record), this shouldn't be an issue. Bridgewater allows and encourages its top performers to freely explore opportunities working at some of the highest levels of the company.