Pros
I’ll try to add some color from my own experiences without rehashing too much of what others are saying: - As I titled it, never a dull moment. Virtually every day there is something fresh happening, something kooky to laugh at, new opportunities for impact or growth, or just good old fashioned camaraderie. I have basically never been bored at work and I have a ton of fun on a day-to-day basis. - If you want to understand markets, you aren’t going to find a better place for training. I don’t understand folks on this thread who say that they don’t have useful skills when they leave. Understanding markets and economies in a way that is both deep and practical isn’t useful? - The part of the culture I like the best is the self-correcting nature of it. I find it deeply calming to know that when something dumb is happening to me (e.g. if I had an incompetent manager, or I am encountering bureaucracy) it is unlikely to persist, and that I am empowered to squash it. - I actually put the work/life balance as a pro, though I do recognize I’m a bit of an outlier in that regard. I think many or most of the work/life balance issues people have here are self-imposed by their own personalities. I’ve been super clear with my managers that I am going to work 50 hours a week or a tick above as needed, and no one has had a problem with that in 6.5 years. Then I get in early M-F so my nights and weekends are wide open for family and hobbies.
Cons
- If you bring the culture home, you need to do so with care. “Yes honey, now that you mention it, that dress does make you look fat.” Yikes. - My days, and by extension my career path, are not things that I could have predicted. I find that exciting and liberating. Others find that stressful and demoralizing. It’s a question of personal preference. - Relative to many other employers, you may have higher highs and lower lows. Again, not necessarily a con, but it is for some. A few days after it happens, your mistakes are unbelievable learning tools if reflected on and examined objectively. In the moment when you realize the blunder and are getting lit up…that just isn’t fun, even if it is constructive. - I think we have too many people. Until that gets resolved (and I believe it will), there will be some bureaucracy/bumping into each other.