The Carlyle Group Reviews

Pros

Young, vibrant professionals. Real go-getters on staff. There is a sense of new opportunities in the air there. Great Location (downtown DC location)

Cons

Not family oriented and hours are long. Some the management there are really picky and mistakes on the job are severely look down upon.

Advice to Senior Management

Make flexible arrangements available for workers with children. Surveys should be given out to assess the management's performance more often.

Pros

Good reputation
Nice people
Lots of opportunity for career progression within a global asset management firm with over 100bn under management

Cons

Cash comp below market
Business lines are very silo'd unlike Blackstone, etc
Carlyle us less aggressive than it's buyout peers

Advice to Senior Management

The firm has become too top heavy and there are too many people who do not carry their weight. Institute A GE/goldman culling process

Pros

Great health benefits, 401K, gym. No museum or arts admissions, but perks are good nonetheless. Highly renowned company with exposure to high profile investors/entities. Very intelligent people. Great Manhattan location. Great, consistent bonuses.

Cons

Managers are from great schools but lack managerial skills. Extremely stifled environment, too corporate and soul killing. Everyone has a stick up their arse--sorry, it's the best I can put it. Distance between managers and assistants is demoralizing. HR doesn't give a crap about assistants; they only care about keeping managers happy. Managers burn through assistants. Total dead end job.

Advice to Senior Management

Managers need to be held accountable. Assistants should be treated with more respect, not as disposable help. Otherwise we'll keep writing terrible things about the company and its directors, etc.

Pros

great managing director who is well respected, and treats the staff well. Only issue is that the amount of hours she puts in, can be intimidating and can sometimes make for an imbalance of life and work

Cons

Really bright people and all super achievers, and yet theres a fair amount of people who do not work and just cruise. Not sure why management doesnt see the hanger on types and make a change

Pros

good benefits, good culture. people are genuinely nice and intelligent

Cons

lower pay than other comparable firms

Advice to Senior Management

Decrease paperwork or hire more bodies to take on added regulatory work

Pros

Benefits
Name recognition
Large office exposure
If you like having snacks in the office, this is it.

Cons

HR management terrible
Supervisors don't communicate
Long hours
Work load 50+ hrs week

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate with employees
Burdens should be shared equally

Pros

great location. 3 metro stops within a block from the office. great restaurants in the area. They have excellent healthcare benefits.

Cons

it's worse than high school. If you are in the "cool" clique, you are golden. If you question what is tasked of you because you want to learn more, watch out. They don't like it when people want to ask and learn. HR needs to well, be an HR department and look out for their employees. I had a situation where a boss was asking me to some personal tasks. I'm not talking getting coffee, either. How about sending his underwear back to Ralph Lauren or go to his condo and let contractors in. When this came up in a meeting w/HR, I asked HR who was liable if I was in a car accident, since I was technically not doing Carlyle group. It turned out Carlyle would NOT be liable. When I pointed out that should probably not being doing these tasks, I was given a severance package and asked to leave. There other VP's that treated their assistants worse and it's all swept under the rug. I watched these VPs, burn out associates in a matter of 6 months, fire them and bring new one's on. They have no concept of work-life balance unless it pertains specifically to them or if you are a member of the cool kids clique.

Advice to Senior Management

Develop an HR department with integrity. Otherwise, one day one of these incidents you sweep under the rug will be to big to sweep away.

Pros

Great exposure to interesting deals

Cons

Conservative, hierarchial environment. Not allowed to expand beyond specific role

Advice to Senior Management

Create less rigid roles for employees

Pros

a good place to work

Cons

advancement for some levels could be limited

Advice to Senior Management

overall good place to work