Vantaggi
Awesome colleagues and company culture/values: everyone is smart, sociable and driven; you are always encouraged to improve and aim towards that next promotion. Those who work hard, enthusiastic about the firm and really adds to the positive atmosphere are easily noticed and hence progression can be quick. Integrity and 'doing things the right way' is highly valued. Projects are diverse so this is very suitable for those who are inquisitive. Ability to use my language skills in a professional environment is also a plus. Great exposure to clients; it offers the rare opportunity early on in one's career to work and meet with VPs, Principals, Partners and Project Leaders at some of the most prestigious hedge funds, consulting and private equity firms out there. Because they share confidential information with you and they rely on you to get their head around the deals they are working on, it is easy to build relationships with them. Training has improved recently, particularly as the firm is now investing a lot more in people (the compensation structure is also improving). Amazing location in the heart of Fitzrovia and other perks: private health, free fruit/toast/soft drinks/cab and dinner if you work late/Thurs and Fri evening socials. To summarise, I think what Cognolink offers is a great opportunity to build one's network, develop transferable skills (with concrete examples to show for it), and a motivating work environment. Perfect for new/recent graduates who do not necessarily want to follow the typical investment banking/consulting grad scheme route and those who would rather interact with people than be stuck behind spreadsheets.
Svantaggi
As with any job, there are elements of repetitiveness and admin which can be frustrating day-to-day and makes it very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and the opportunities/plus points. It is possible to 'get by' without trying too hard, which can make the job boring. You really need to be self motivated, driven and able to see the bigger picture to find it interesting and challenging in the longer term. There are no externally accredited qualifications that are absolutely necessary to perform, so while you pick up a lot of soft/transferable skills, you'd have to seek out additional qualifications yourself if you want it (and the company can help fund it). Working hours can be long at times. Otherwise it suffers from the typical issues that are faced by companies growing in such a pace (changes and decisions that do not suit everyone, communication, can be disorganised, high work load etc)