1. Falsely marketed to new recruits
The reality of the day-to-day role is hidden in well-crafted marketing and the use of attractive buzzwords. You have very little exposure to the industries and projects that your client is working on, and the learning curve is limited at best. This job is not intellectually challenging, and is far removed from the content of projects. It is extremely repetitive and monotonous, and the role is purely facilitative and administrative. At best, it is a sales role, but even that is an overstatement. Best comparison is that of a call centre.
What the role involves: receiving a client brief, looking for certain words (e.g. 'sales' @ 'company x'), putting those words into LinkedIn, cold calling people and reciting a pre-determined script, scheduling phone calls for clients.
The problem is not with what the role involves in itself; AlphaSights is very effective, valued by clients, and a clear market leader in providing the service that it does provide. The problem is with the way that this is conveyed to prospective candidates inn an effort to recruit 'top talent'. There is no development of hard skills, apart from confidence to speak on the phone.
Salary is completely misstated on marketing materials - compensation is not as high as it is presented to be, and is dependent on 'performance' (measured by a single, unrepresentative metric)
2. Senior management lacks integrity and foresight. Complete and total lack of professionalism in the way that this firm is run and employees are treated - especially if/when they choose to leave the firm. Senior management must look to get to grips with the root cause of employee dissatisfaction rather than looking for scapegoats.
3. Skewed reward and promotion system
4. Overstated relationship with clients - not a knowledge partner but distant service provider
5. Limited exit options given the lack of skills development (aside from management skills, which you probably do get earlier than you would elsewhere)
