Goldman Sachs Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Goldman Sachs full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Great learning experience--they hold their people to the very highest standards

Cons – Low compensation compared to buy side/ other banks for my current role; very poor work-life balance (though this may just be my group)

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Goldman Sachs as an intern for less than a year

Pros – Fast-paced culture, competitive (if you like an electric atmosphere), diverse community, sufficiently horizontal team structure, demanding, fairly good hours

Cons – excessively competitive, somewhat cold and artificial, individual culture (not communal or sufficiently interactive), nose in the air,

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Goldman Sachs full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Way above average staff competence
Way above average ambitions (may be viewed as a Con in certain contexts)
Internal mobility
Resources
Excellent training programs
Community programs
Looks great on resume
Respectable compensation and benefits
Gym on site (New York City, Jersey City)

Cons – Way above average ambitions (may be viewed as a Pro in certain contexts)
Management skills of tech managers may be below average
Strong, even though stealth, peer and management pressure
Long hours
New downtown facilities (NYC) are cramped

Advice to Senior Management – Be open to receive bad news from subordinates and be brave to give bad news to superiors.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Goldman Sachs full-time for more than 8 years

Pros – great pay and benefits. it has made it hard to find new opportunities, due to the handsome compensation afforded to me at Goldman

Cons – not enough advancement opportunities unless relocation is an option. the world has gone virtual

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Goldman Sachs as an intern for less than a year

Pros – Prestigious name; training program; network opportunity

Cons – pressure, pressure, pressure. pressure. pressure

Advice to Senior Management – N/A

Former Employee – worked at Goldman Sachs

Pros – Make a lot for an intern. The managers are very open and accesible. Also, they notice and value your efforts.

Cons – Somewhat more formal atmosphere than the typical internship in the Tech industry, though much less formal than the financial side of Goldman Sachs.

Former Employee – worked at Goldman Sachs full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Prestige, Good Pay, High quality colleagues

Cons – Was 24/7, extremely stressful, company does not understand non-work life

Advice to Senior Management – Being # 1 is a great achievement, and the need to maintain that status is understandable, but most employees have families and the grueling expectations of the firm does not allow a decent balance between work and home.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Goldman Sachs full-time for more than a year

Pros – Name on the Resume

Soft skills like presentation, communication, professionalism, attention to detail, accountability and managing expectations are perfected

Depending on your division - analytic and critical thinking ability is honed

Cons – Long Hours

High expectations (everything from a presentation to a client to ordering lunch will be perfect...or you get yelled at)

Pay Structure (bonuses skew towards the top)

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Goldman Sachs full-time for more than 8 years

Pros – Competitive environment, intelligent people, best in class, always striving for excellence. Culture is outstanding, encourages open-mindedness and looks for people who encompass the same mindset. Thought leadership is hugely important.

Cons – You feel like a work horse, the hours can get long, and the pace is extremely fast. If you don't fit in within the first 6 months (work and culture wise), you likely won't be successful for the long haul.

Advice to Senior Management – Engage individuals at all levels - important to get the holistic perspective, not just those at the top.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Goldman Sachs full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – great talented people, a lot of things to learn

Cons – not as fast pace as expected

Advice to Senior Management – evaluation

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend