Pros
High level of autonomy Dynamic colleagues Challenging, meaningful work Competitive salaries Relaxed work environment Strong culture - (see below) - feast or famine. Culture is very important and you'll know if it is a plus or a minus for you quickly
Cons
Need to do top-quality work - mediocre work will cause rework and more work than doing excellent work the first time You don't get a blueprint - need to make your path and learn how to swim in the pool Challenging/meaningful work sometimes leads to longer hours - if you are looking for something without responsibility to get the job done even if it means a longer day or longer week (or longer month) then this may not be it Universe of knowledge is large - spend the first part of your career really learning the basics and the rest of your career continuing to build on that Not a place for titles. If you are highly motivated by the role on your deskplate, this is not a good place to build a career. Titles are seldomly used even when they may exist for upper management. Strong culture - (see above) - you'll either buy-in and like it, or you won't. Doesn't leave a lot in between.