Pros
As with other small firms, AGC is a great place to get a lot of experience, learn a ton and be noticed, but a lot of that is up to you and your commitment. The firm provides thorough training programs for its deal teams, and new analysts (and even interns) will probably be surprised at how quickly they are integrated into the workflow and interacting with real (and high-profile) clients. If you want to make a difference, you have every opportunity to do that, which isn’t always the case at a large and bureaucratic firm. The structure is very flat and you will probably see the CEO almost as much as you do your coworkers. The firm and its partners make an active effort to foster a positive culture through community service events, out-of-office vacation trips, ad-hoc dinners and gatherings, holiday events, and the random afternoon foosball tournament. AGC tries hard to keep a good team and camaraderie among the staff is strong. The sense of humor helps to break up the day sometimes.
Cons
Investment Banking is a tough industry and not for everyone, and no firm is going to shield its employees from that reality entirely. The hours can be long and stressful, the workflow and its manageability can be unpredictable and you are dealing with a lot of very driven and aggressive personalities that may not have the most subdued management styles at times. Sometimes partners don’t have a perfectly accurate idea what it actually takes to do what they are asking, especially in relation to your other workload, so good communication is crucial. Career development along the partner track seems tied to your ability to one day become a revenue producer.