Vantaggi
Opportunities to carve out a niche, mentor junior staff. Some very capable people work here (but they're probably looking for another job). Outstanding client services/training team will help you better understand the product(s) and the user base. They were excellent people to partner with!
Svantaggi
Chaotic work environment. Terrible people-management - managers are product-focused not people-focused. Rather than support/enable their staff, they're busy either micromanaging projects, changing the vision (yet again) and/or soothing the board/sales team. Merrill likes "good talkers" and hires people who are great at talking but are quite poor when it comes to performance; they have too many unqualified people making important decisions on their projects. My supervisor was the worst I've worked for in my 13 years of experience. She's extremely self-focused. If you have a 1:1 with her and she actually shows up to it, she'll talk your ear off about herself the whole time...she does this in meetings, too. She's the worst when it comes to listening, mentoring or being supportive; I thought it was me but I saw and heard this from many other team members, as well. Finally, this is a total boys' club. I've never had so many men either take credit for my work, present my ideas as their own or denigrate my work. One manager called me a "good notetaker" after I presented a compiled analysis of my research findings. As if I was his executive assistant or something! And don't get me started on the sexual innuendos that will inevitably "color" your meetings...not comfortable when you're the only woman in the room.