Pros
-Good pay (they'll almost always beat any competitor) -Free breakfast and lunch which tastes good on most days -Free coffee until midday -Good resume booster ^ But honestly don't let these perks lure you ^
Cons
-Very high expectations and BS performance reviews means that you could be below average and get fired very quickly. I've seen smart and competent people shown the door. -Within the first few months I saw quite a few people disappear or leave. There was even someone that resigned due to mental health problems (more than likely caused by work related stress). If this place is so great why do people leave? Seriously ask yourself that before joining. -Projects are an absolute mess. As a dev you'll be project manager, tester, support which is on top of your usual dev work. -Limited career growth outside of finance and the tech is an outdated mess. Honestly try finding a C++ job outside of HFT that pays in the same ballpark. So make sure you plan an exit route. -Engineers are a pay grade below. Seriously a second year junior trader earns the same as a senior (l3) developer. -Individualist environment means people are always fighting for their bonus. -Got yelled at by a frustrated manager because I made an honest mistake and was a little slow to interpret something -Be weary of teams with low headcount where only new comers join and people just leave. -If you get an offer at a big tech company, take that option. The slightly extra $ you get is not worth the career risk. I'm glad I made the switch and got out early.