Pros
-Smart, driven analysts -Work is interesting while you're moving "up" the learning curve -Opportunity for travel in some groups -Recognizable name in the financial services industry -Good healthcare and gym benefits
Cons
-Completely outdated IT. IT staff, while they try hard, are completely overwhelmed. -More and more regulation. Fitch and other rating agencies are being strangled by regulation, which falls to analysts to implement. A large amount of your time is spent on various administrative hassles, with IT that more often than not doesn't work. -Work/life balance is bad for a rating agency (considering the low compensation) and getting worse. -Management has zero interest in your career development. No real review or feedback. Even if you receive a good review, be prepared for a below inflation raise. HR is invisible unless you're being hired or doing your exit interview. -No training on how to use the actual models; you learn by trial and error. New training program is irrelevant to most groups and is only window dressing for regulators. -Old Boys Network prevalent. I never witnessed disrespectful behavior, but if you aren't interested in talking sports/fantasy leagues, you will have nothing to discuss with management. Or there are the other managers, who sit in their offices with their doors closed all the time, and they never talk to anybody.