Pros

In the 5 years I worked for Fannie Mae it was a great company to work for a majority of the time. I left in 2007. I was proud of the work we were doing in the community, people respected the depth and breadth of the work we did and there were plenty of resources to get some really impactful work done. I particularly liked my co-workers and the camraderie we had and how most of us learned from and enjoyed working with each other.

Also, Fannie Mae salaries were on the high side for the industry and in the private sector overall. The company's benefit package for positions at all levels, including entry-level admin assistants, was one of the best available in the workforce hands down. I've talked to many, many friends, family and former colleagues who were jealous of what Fannie Mae had to offer.

Cons

One of the biggest drawbacks of working at Fannie Mae was its very hierarchal, top-down structure, especially from headquarters in Washington D.C. to the regional offices to the various offices located in each state. Oftentimes not all of the info you hoped to hear you received because it had to go through so many filters. Also, people who showed the drive, talent and abilities to succeed in a higher position I thought often weren't considered or even invited to apply. In instances where I saw this happen it usually was because they were seen as most helpful in their current position vs moving on to another position they want. Lastly, because of all the issues and turbulence Fannie Mae, along with Freddie Mac, went through because of its accounting scandal, the employee morale began to slip terribly.

Advice to Senior Management

If I were to offer some advice/feedback to the leadership at Fannie Mae I would urge them to make a regular, almost daily effort, to stay connected and in tune to their workforce on the ground, be it in the regional office or what's left of the rest of their field office. The headquarters was often referred to a "the mothership"; which I think shows the disconnection of exec management seen as sitting on high simply giving orders with no real connection to what was going on.