For financial services, it is better than most but it is time for "fresh thinking" at the top.
Pros
They offer the flexibility and opportunity to move into new areas of interest. Maybe it is because they are headquartered in Europe, but they seem to have an extra focus on the employees. Opportunities to work abroad exist for the persistent and patient. Majority of staff, employees more so than consultants, are both competent and customer oriented with a positive attitude. Compensation is average and benefits; paid time off , 401k match, tuition reimbursement, etc. are satisfactory. This industry, financial services, is changing rapidly and under tremendous strain. ING is in a good position to capitalize on the aftermath of the market turmoil, they are conservative and have avoided many of the mistakes of their peers.
Cons
It can be overly bureaucratic . As a witnesses to being absorbed by ING we all see the slow, lethargic takeover of what were once vibrant organizations. A lot of IT work gets outsourced to a point where the cost savings vanish. It takes longer to get requests fulfilled and the quality of work is less than when the work was performed by in house staff. Risk management and compliance, reign supreme, this can and often does squash creativity and risk taking. If you are a climber, who likes to think independently, this is not going to be a positive work experience for you. Promotion is almost non-existent, however you'll have plenty of opportunity to learn new skills as colleagues leave and are not replaced. Very few people rotate positions abroad, only senior management.
