American Capital Strategies Reviews

Pros

During it's growth phase, you learned a lot and were given a lot of responsibility

Cons

The hours could be long. Morale was not great after the layoffs started in 2008. I'm not sure if morale is back to it's 2006 levels yet.

Pros

Challenging work. Lots of opportunities with complex financial instruments. Global reach in all part of the world and many industries.

Cons

Leadership at all levels is very poor. During the downturn, lots of internal power grabbing. Staying at the office later valued more than productivity.

Pros

The compensation is incredibly generous. The benefits are amazing.

Cons

Beware that you are selling your soul for the compensation and benefits. Much of the dirt is swept under the rug. IT is a mess and largely unqualified. Any good auditor would have a field day if the right questions were asked.

Advice to Senior Management

It's not all about salary. It's about treating people as human beings- not human capital.

Pros

Great Compensation and benefits. They are the best in class. Professional developement oppurtunities are OK. Good appreciation for employees that deliver

Cons

20% of the employees deliver. Personal development and professional development can be better. Work load fluctuates a lot. Too many adhoc tasks.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more organised. Provide professional development opputunities. Dirtibute work evenly and plan it. Base bonus on employee performance rather that same bonus across the company

Pros

Lots of talented employees, good atmosphere.

Cons

limited opportunities for advancement, lower than market compensation

Advice to Senior Management

Turn your focus towards retaining key employees or there will be no one left once the debt restructuring is behind us.

Pros

Salary and benefit package in general were higher than most competing firms. In addition, the working facilities were excellent (i.e. offices, etc.).

Cons

The primary downside to working at ACAS is the lack of leadership from management. Moving down a set from the C suite executives, most at the S.VP level did not know how to lead. They were good technicians, but related very poorly (in some cases they were oppressive) to those in lower levels.

Advice to Senior Management

As mentioned above, the C suite level needs to evaluate their direct reports using some relational metrics. Given the rapid growth, some at the S. VP level do not have the personality or skills to truly lead.

Pros

Entrepreneurial culture. The firm encourages employees to find business & make independent decisions on their portfolio companies, although in hindsight, more rigourous critical thought should be put into some investment decisions.

Cons

Perhaps a little too much of a "shoot first, ask questions later" culture has really limited any downside protections. Their ability to effectuate change at poor performing companies is overstated.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't worry about getting the last penny on an asset sale right now. Just get us the liquidity so that we can survive.

Pros

Excellent benefits package and fair compensation. There is a high degree of regard for each employees' well being. If when layoffs were conducted everyone was treated more than fairly. The firm has really taken a hit from the financial crisis so any downsides are related to unavoidable circumstances.

Cons

Poor communication from management. Isolation of various functional groups. HR has done away with the performance management system so it is difficult to know how well you are performing. Some groups are plagued by underperformers who are kept around solely because of tenure.

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate with employees to receive more feedback on opportunities to operate business.

Pros

The people are friendly and the culture is strong. The managers are always flexible with vacation and allowing you to work out of the office. There are also many unofficial perks such as happy hour and lunch for the office once a week. American Capital also provides various options of work within their company. They have a CDO group Second Lien group and a Leveraged buyouts group.

Cons

The pay is slightly below market, and bonuses and promotions tend to be political, but as long as you get along with the directors at the office they will take care of you.

Advice to Senior Management

To use a little more discretion when promoting people.