Clayton Holdings Reviews in Denver, CO Area

Pros

Good work / life balance
Good benefits package
Good corporate leadership and investment backing
Company still appreciates hiring inexperienced college graduates

Cons

The senior management and directors do not seem to have a clear grasp of how to effectively manage the current market. Company is extremely reactive not proactive. Constant changes in priority make it impossible to accomplish minor initiatives in any other fashion besides the bare minimum.

Unmotivated workplace; people are coming in to pick up their paycheck and leave as soon as their 8 hours are put in.

Advice to Senior Management

Motivate your employees and provide strong leadership. Alternative methods like early time off or important side projects will motivate people.

Pros

Good, young coworkers who seem to have a lot of potential. Great exposure to the nuances of the MBS industry.

Cons

The compensation packages could be a little improved. Although this is also a reflection of the industry as a whole since 2007.

Advice to Senior Management

Accountability seems to be increasingly metric driven. This type of approach has its plusses and minuses, although in the end they seem to balance things out by accounting and recognizing things that can be more subjective and harder to measure.

Pros

Coworkers are young and generally easy to get along with.
Working here is a good way to gain exposure to the mortgage securitization industry
Small size makes it easy to get noticed if you want to
Located downtown, a pro if you’re into that. Nearly limitless places to eat lunch nearby
Decent benefits and time off

Cons

The company has been hit hard by the subprime mortgage crisis
Growth opportunities have virtually dried up
Moral is low
Budget is tight

Advice to Senior Management

Start by hiring only motivated individuals who are glad to have a job (I suggest looking for young people just starting out) and who are willing to do their part to meet the company’s goals, then treat them like responsible adults. Do not hire lazy, whiny troll-like disenchanted middle-aged analysts who are just looking for a paycheck and then have to implement babysitting policies for EVERYONE (internet restrictions, time tracking, wide-scale performance auditing) in order to ensure that the lazy analysts are doing their work. Dangle a carrot once in awhile.

Pros

Good benefits and opportunities to grow. They provide ample training and give good resources.

Cons

They're in a bad industry which is dying. The job is boring and repetitive.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep doing what you're doing, but the MBS industry is not one to be involved in now.

Pros

Use to hire a lot of people straight out of school, good place to start

Cons

Boring, repetitive work. Not good pay and limited upside. Promotions don't really get you to a new level

Advice to Senior Management

Provide better career opportunities for analysts to grow different skills

Pros

Great opportunity for young professionals. There is a real opportunity to make a difference and to exceed if you are willing to work hard.

Cons

The work can seem routine at times. Additionally, it is not as glamorous as other financial positions.

Advice to Senior Management

There were some issues with the merger with Clayton Fixed Income Services (branch were I worked) and corporate. While things are getting smoothed out, there was a lack of communication on new policies. Communication of expectations should be key in the workplace.

Pros

It's a great place for someone who has just graduated college. You learn about the industry in a work environment that supports you having a life. There is also a lot of room for you to get involved in or create projects in areas that you are interested in.

Cons

There is not much room to move up here. Part of that has to do with the economy right now and the hit this business has taken. However, it appears that promotions are more about who you know and how long you've worked here then ability. There also doesn't seem to be a lot of support for the Denver division of the company as the home base is located in Shelton, CT and all of the decisions seem to be made there.

Advice to Senior Management

The rumor mill is very active here. I think if Senior Management was more open about their actions and plans this would dispense a lot of the rumors that have people flying for the doors.