S&P Reviews

Pros

As Standard & Poor's celebrates its 150th year of empowering investors, the key to rebuilding its market position lies in our credit risk benchmark.

Cons

What exactly is a Standard & Poor's corporate credit rating, and what role does it play in the global financial markets?

Advice to Senior Management

As Standard & Poor's celebrates its 150th year of empowering investors, the key to rebuilding its market position lies in our credit risk benchmark.

Pros

The best part of work at S&P is the work life balance. At 5PM, the elevators are packed tighter than the New York City Subway at rush hour.

Cons

Horrendous communication. A constant feeling that you should be doing something more satisfying. Huge politics.....get into the right click or be on the outside looking in for your entire career. Encouragement of heavy use of equity research produced at other investment banks.

Advice to Senior Management

Take a real good look and weed out all the "yes men" that say "I can do that", knowing full well they can not and also knowing that they will never be called out for their incompetence.

Pros

Salary is partially determined by cost of living where your office is located.
Company participates in a community service day.

Cons

Disprespectful management.
What is told to HR personel in confidence is not kept in confidence.
You are encouraged by management to find faults in others and report on them with the lure of promotions.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat others as you would like to be treated. The golden rule never hurt a soul.

Pros

Work hours, less pressure than investment banks.

Cons

Job stability no longer exists during recessionary periods. Even people who were around for 20+ years were let go. New management lead to reduced loyalty. Salaries and bonuses should increase to compensate for reduced job stability, but it hasn't. Top talent looking elsewhere.

Advice to Senior Management

Increase pay. Provide "hope" to employees who have stuck around. Put a premium on experience and knowledge. Show loyalty and compensate competitively and employees will respond positively and encourage friends to join the company.

Pros

Great brand recognition
Excellent products
Great client base

Cons

Bonuses are arbitary and you cannot help set your own goals

Pros

Work/Life Balance, Interesting Work, Great Colleagues

Cons

Compensation is not competitive at all, annual raises less than inflation.
Credit is not given to those who deserve it. You can do excellent work, but because of "quota" still be forced to be given a target rating on performance review.
Senior management gives conflicting messages, lack of transparency.
Extreme bureaucracy, very old school management ruled by small group.
If you're not part of the "club", forget it.

Advice to Senior Management

Talent retention should be a priority. Good people will leave if they are not valued and treated fairly.

Pros

It is a great place to work. The Senior Management is competent and ensures that employees put in their best and are rewarded accordingly. Quality of Work is good. I am Proud to be doing an Internship at S&P.

Cons

Maybe not a high paying job as compared to Investment Bankers or Brokers.

Advice to Senior Management

None,

Pros

Location, Work Schedule, Transportation, Cafeteria, Nothing else

Cons

No respect for contractors and consultants, bureaucracy, Bad work culture, huge discrimation at work place especially for consultants

Advice to Senior Management

Major change in process is required. Try to put consultants in better roles and dont treat them like cheap labors.

Pros

Good work life balance collegial staff

Cons

Slow to change and innovate

Advice to Senior Management

More innovation would be an improvement

Pros

Easy going environment, good location in down town Manhattan

Cons

No support from other business units, poor product development

Advice to Senior Management

Compensate staff to get more productivity