Pros
At its best, CRS is a very rewarding place to work. We work directly with Congressional members and staff and get a first person view of the policy making process. As a public policy or subject matter expert, this is as close as you can get to informing top policy makers without working in a political or lobbying position.
Cons
The current upper level management (division directors and above) actively resist employee development, preferring to hire from the outside almost without exception. Grad recruit and research assistant turnover is through the roof. Interns are unlikely to ever be brought back for a paid position. Qualified analysts are put into extended “temporary management” positions, before management hires from outside the organization. The “Senior Specialists” are a mixed bag. Most are either failed managers or long term analysts with no people skills. They often end up calling the shots as the upper management hires section managers from outside the organization. The Law division has developed a management culture that resists any collaboration, which can make it difficult to write on topics where legal analysis is required (quite often given the line of work!). At their worst, the upper management work behind employee’s backs, giving them encouragement and good performance reviews face to face, then never promoting or otherwise rewarding good work.