Good place to start out of college. - Senior Financial Analyst Merck Employee Review

3.0
May 26, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you're just starting your career, it's a good place to learn the basics and start building relationships. Some of the people here are smart and nice if you get into the right group. However, to keep your career healthy, don't stay for more than 5 years regardless of what they promise. There are better companies to continue to grow and develop.

Cons

After about 5 years you'll hit the glass ceiling. Even if they continue to promote you, learning will slowdown. Management at Merck are ignorant. For some reason after 5 years people become hooked or afraid to leave based on some misguided concept that they will loose great benefits. All I have to say is there are a lot of better companies that will teach you more making you more marketable.

Explore other reviews about Merck

5.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent company to work with.

Cons

No cons encountered so far

4.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits like medical/dentist/vision, pension, stock option, 401k match. Co workers are excellent, pretty good on site symposiums, lot of diversity clubs/activities. Innovation is extremely welcomed. Diversity in research portfolio. AI/ML is heavily invested to make databases more efficient.

Cons

Micro managing, especially within the biologics department, potentially others. Promotions are limited, and pay bump is poor. Company invests too much in buying companies rather than keeping talent - lay offs let go of great talented people. Merck is afraid of investing into exploratory biology and doesn’t take risk - they even admit they would rather see other companies clinical data or R&D data rather than taking a risk. Although it’s slow going in building new software, current databases are slow and needs much improvement. Extremely poor work/life balance.

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