Pros

At FINRA promotions are given in a timely manner as long as you are relatively competent (mostly due to the large amount of turnover). Compensation is slightly below what is offered at compliance departments throughout the street (maybe 10 - 20 %), although FINRA offers a better work-life balance. The experience offered at FINRA is highly sought after for compliance roles in the major BDs (especially for examiners); although the work may be a little more interesting at FINRA as you’re conducting investigation instead of compliance roles where you’re mostly responding to regulators, conducting internal audits, monitoring employee trading accounts, etc.

If you're the type of person who follows orders well and can get into a rhythm and perform a similar task consistently and efficiently, this may be the place for you.

Cons

The culture within FINRA does not stress, and perhaps frowns upon, overachieving or “rocking the boat.” You will not be expected to come up with your own ideas or to find solutions; rather, you'll be expected to follow the already established procedures and perform those well and timely. This may indeed change, especially in the examiner arena, given the current regulatory reforms and the recent CEO change.

Management tends to focus on internally derived metrics (e.g. number of exams opened/closed) instead making actual cases.

Advice to Senior Management

Management needs to significantly improve their understanding of the financial markets in general; not just the area that they are responsible for regulating.