Pros
The Travelers has a great history and an excellent CEO in Jay Fishman. His "C" level managers are also very effective. The company is well positioned financially.
Cons
- Promotions are made based on image vs. what you know. Junior people are promoted to senior levels with minimal experience while folks with superior skills, experience and track records are overlooked. - You'll need a "Mommy" or "Daddy" in senior management to coordinate your career for you. Your individuality, initiative, drive and style will get you nowhere, you'll have to emulate theirs. - More than once since working there I've woken up to discover the "Management Gods" had decided a new, ill defined role would be suit me better than the one I had. Career plan? Yeah, right. - Hartford is a dead city. A one mile walk in any direction from the downtown office threatens bodily harm. - "That's Travelers," is an oft heard refrain used to describe the place's heavily bureaucratic, hierarchical and political way of life. It means associates have accepted this as their "fate," never a good sign. - Roles are fragmented and compartmentalized until nobody owns anything. Don't expect to act independently, expect to work through layers of bureaucracy and personality to achieve modest goals.