Pros
When comparing to other consulting companies, here are some of the benefits of Mars & Co: - Given that we do purely strategy, the work itself is very interesting and always challenging/rewarding - There is no travel "schedule" of Mon-Thurs on site. We travel only when necessary, and use the office as home base whenever possible - There is also no promotion "schedule", so if you do well, you can be promoted very quickly - Global reach allows for international travel opportunities - Relatively small company, so it is easy to get to know everyone in the office - Only serve one client per industry, so every project is a new industry - keeps things interesting and you're rarely doing the same thing over and over - Great benefits: fully paid health insurance, dental, reimbursement for Lasik, free gym membership
Cons
Mars is a one-man show, run entirely by the CEO, with very little visibility provided to anyone else (including most VPs). As a result, it is practically impossible to know what the true state of the company is or where people stand at the end of the day. Furthermore, any decisions (promotions, raises, etc) are at his sole discretion, or that of a select few, with little recourse for employees who may disagree. As with any consulting job, work-life balance is difficult. You may get lucky and be staffed on an "easy" project, but even then you are expected to make your evenings, weekends, and even planned vacations available for work. Some managers are better about this than others.