Pros
I worked at CoStar for over 18 month as a Research Associate before transitioning into a brokerage firm. One of the core responsibilities as an RA was to interview the contacts (usually brokers) in your market. I never appreciated it while I was doing the work but having those conversations enabled me to not only learn about CRE but they taught me to be persistent in asking questions, creative in facing objections, and confident in leading conversations. Those are the skills that I've taken into my new role as a broker. As for the company, there are a number of opportunities for RAs to grow. The company is the leader in their space and they are very good at promoting from within.
Cons
Although there are a number of opportunities the company needs to do a better job of formalizing a career path so it is more clear for each employee.