Pros
I can't stress enough how great the people served are that I had the opportunity to work with, as well as a majority of my peers/co-workers. The relationships that I was able to build and maintain were the only reason I stuck around for as long as I did.
Cons
Employee policies and procedures seem to be warped and twisted to fit the needs of administration. You can have Person A. have a multitude of performance issues get swept under the rug with little to no action taken, and Person B. might get write up after write up, including retraining memos and corrective action plans. The only difference between Person A and Person B is how much person A is in management's back pocket. You can break all the rules and protocols as long as you make your manager/director/administrator look good for the guardians. The pay in level 5 homes is competitive in this field, but there is little to nothing you can do to get a raise. Annual performance reviews, which could have been 5 years + of exemplary marks and "pats on the back" amount to nothing, you will still make the same as the guy next to you who's falling asleep on the clock. But don't worry, that person will still keep their job, heck they'll probably be hailed as an outstanding employee because they're ultimately coming through on the most important aspect of a direct care position at Meridian Services...making your bosses look good to the guardians. It was an overall thankless position with a thankless company who would rather turn a blind eye to situations that they found inconvenient.