Pros
I was lucky to fall into a very good group of co-workers, and over time it became obvious that is not usually the case company wide. So I was grateful for my immediate group of co-workers. Paternity Leave is 12 Weeks - but you will be asked "are you really going to use all of that time" You could say you "worked within the Goldman Sachs Umbrella" in the same fashion that the parking attendant at Yankee Stadium works for the Yankees.
Cons
The Work Itself - the target continuously is changing, not for good reason but primarily at the whim of management and leadership. All the way in the door they mention their relationship with Goldman Sachs. Soon after you sit in your seat for the first time, you realize nothing is close to cutting edge and more so resembles a start up company. From business process, to technology, to building amenities everything is poorly designed, dated, and not what you would expect from a company that claims an allegiance with Goldman Sachs. The Compensation - many of the previous posts speaks of poor compensation and bonuses. That is certainly the case for 80-90% of the staff. This is one of the only portions of the business model that does resemble Goldman. The top tier get their bonuses, while those who work the long hard hours get the speech year after year about "there are many factors in compensation" and "it was a tough year for the company". The Work Environment - hands down one of the most hostile and toxic work environments I have ever seen. The pressure is placed on associates by leadership to work long hard hours for key objectives and tax deadlines etc. While that is a staple of most successful businesses, the way it is executed is extremely poor. In recent months there was an article about a former SVP, and what her experience was with the firm, let that be an example of how the work environment actually is. Upward Mobility and Career Development - all of the classic examples "glass ceilings", "good ole boys club", "Nepotism" and "Pedigree Promotions" are out in the open for those who pay attention. May associates will work for years towards a promotion, to see someone that "looks the part" be promoted. Promotions are more tied to your pedigree within the company, your appearance, or impenetrable favoritism than the work you have done or your true value to the company. Diversity - There is a significant effort to promote their Diversity Network. But you can visit the leadership portion of the Ayco website to get a real feel for what the companies profile looks like. I would often joke that there is more diversity in the line to get coffee than there is in the whole company. Benefits and Retirement Contribution - Health Insurance Benefit leaves much to be desired, HDD insurance plans will bring your take home down some percentage depending on if you have single or family coverage. The Retirement Contribution was so low it was meaningless.