Pros
SEI is a great company... - No travel which is awesome for family life - Compensation is good for the hours and efforts you put in - The consultants are fairly nice
Cons
...if you align it to reality - No matter what they tell you during the interview process, in reality all of the work is staff aug. It's a local model, and there are only so many strategy/sexy consulting gigs, which won't go to SEI because they don't have that kind of brand equity or known thought leadership anyways. - The reality is you will not get rich from working here. Don't think just because you can have ownership that will mean anything in terms of making you rich. When the stock incentive plan triggers, you get very little shares unless you are in the "in-crowd." You can also buy-in, but I would personally advise doing that since if you leave they have 3-4 years to pay you back. Also, another post explained this, but they have some weird accounting method, which recognizes stock buy-ins as revenue. More people they bring in and the more they buy in, the more the company goes up in value (pyramid scheme?). - Yes, these people drink a lot, but what multi-million dollar company doesn't party? The reality is in the business world, people drink and party. It happens everywhere, so expect no less here. - Bottom line is that if you recognize that SEI is a staff aug company that pays you fairly well, then you will be satisfied there. Don't believe the hype that "this is the last place you will ever work" (impossible unless you want to do staff aug for the rest of your career), "we are a family" (rarely do we work with each other so we don't know each other that well), "all of our consultants are rock stars" (just because you make people go through 7 interviews doesn't make whoever comes through as rock stars. There have been a variety of duds that have worked and currently work there. The interviews are really selling opportunities for SEI and the questions are fairly easy. If you are half smart and act professional, you will get in. Also, the starting salary is low, so its hard to get truly accomplished, successful, and connected professionals into the door. You can't expect an ex-Deloitte Principal to join with his/her long list of potential clients for $140K). Tone down the expectations and really put some critical thinking into what the company is about, and you won't have a problem working there.