TLDR: this place sucks.
These guys are stuck in the glory days of when small and value outperformed (ie 30+ years ago). Nothing new or innovative from an investment standpoint.
Culture has gone downhill. You definitely feel like you’re just another number.
There are only three scenarios where I would recommend pursuing/accepting a role at DFA: 1) you are fresh out of college and have no experience - company looks good on your resume. Get a year or two under your belt and leave asap 2) you’re very late career and looking for a cush job with little-to-no pressure or 3) you’re desperate. If you’re mid-career and ambitious, then this is not the place for you (which is a common theme among these reviews).
Upward mobility is limited and slow unless you are: 1) the favorite child of your manager or 2) related to someone high up (they love their nepo babies). (Honorable mention: you can also move up quickly by leaving the company for 6-12 months and then coming back; they’ll make you VP or head of some team in no time.)
Turnover is extremely high. Headcount has been flat for the past few yrs even though they tell you that the firm is growing. Most new hires are just to replace the people who left. Which brings up another point to know if you’re applying here…recruiters are absolutely terrible...poor communication, never follow-up, nothing. They take so long that good candidates move on to other (better) opportunities.
Management also talks about “enhancing” compensation, but it’s always just a new way to lower the pay ceiling. If you join this firm you’ll likely be paid well below market.
They’re also absolutely terrified of Avantis, which was founded by the former Co-CEO/Co-CIO (and is comprised of mostly former DFA folks). Half of management’s energy is spent talking crap and trying to dissuade anybody else from leaving for Avantis.
