Vantaggi
Workwise, good exposure to interesting clients and positions. On the social side, great colleagues, good social events, not great if you are not into drinking/partying. Decent work-life balance IF you are good at the role.
Svantaggi
Consultant and Researcher Divide: As seen from various reviews in the thread, the issue still persists and it will most probably not change. Consultants who come from outside the firm tend to be more knowledgeable, friendly, inclusive and professional as compared to those who 'grow -up' with the firm. Researchers do not get the respect they deserve from many of the consultants - they are seen more of a resource rather than colleagues. Trust is only built between the two if you do well from the very get go, most researchers do not do well early given the lack of proper training and development (see below for elaboration). While we are aware that there is high turnover in search, PL seems to lose researchers faster than competitors. The rate of retaining researchers is laughable - this contributes to the overall lack of experience and seniority of the team. Training and progression: Inconsistencies in the way new associates are trained. Lack of a proper career progression metrics. Promotions are mainly based on capacity and your 'connections', instead of skill and talent. I do believe that there are consultants who need people management training as there are some who are absolutely unpleasant people to work with. For prospective graduates considering a role here, I would say you might be better of looking at the top global executive firms (SHREK) to build your career in search as they are generally better equipped to prepare you for the industry, and pay competitively too. Perrett Laver would suit people who are in their mid-career/late-career. Compensation and benefits: Decent starting pay but the lack of bonus and communication around it is disappointing. Researchers would have to serve 2 years before gaining a 'bonus', regardless of the amount of work you do. The bonus scheme is laughable and not on par with the industry. Diversity: Absolute lack of diversity in all forms in the management/senior partners. It is ironic that the firm prides on their diverse appointments while having a mostly white/middle-class management. Database: Lack of training for associates and reluctance of some senior consultants to be familiar with the database leads to inconsistencies. This might have changed recently.