Pros
-Collegial and fun environment where people get along well and grab a drink after work. -Great passion for the product, whatever department the specialists and staff are enthusiastic about it. -Once you're hired, it is nearly impossible to get fired. -Great opportunity to because very integral to a given department (which in reality operates like a small business of its own within a larger ecosystem). -Huge responsibility given to even starting employees fresh out of college. -Unique opportunity to see and learn about a variety of collecting fields. -Decent benefits
Kontras
-Salary is generally abysmal, especially for non-business getters such as administrators and support staff -No culture of internal promotion--colleagues who are hired from other companies make loads more, poached or not (usually not) -Management is largely absent -Minimal promotion of employee welfare--"non-salary benefits" are not heard of here -Zero training, you've got to learn everything on the job. -Poor communication between management and staff. -Little job churn, poor employees just stick around forever. -Massive bureaucracy can make getting things done difficult. -Dictatorial upper management sometimes acts in its own best interests which are occasionally deleterious to company morale and bottom lines.