Pros
The compensation is pretty strong, especially considering the company is not located in a high COL area. The actuarial exam program is also good and competitive with some of the other top insurance companies in the country, If you are looking to develop your actuarial career and pass some exams, this is not a bad place to be. The company also is rather well-known in the industry and can bolster your resume.
Cons
What better place to start than the top? Google the CEO of the company if you want to see the type of people that run the ship. It will also give a glimpse into the type of culture that can be pervasive at times, even with lower level employees. There is rampant gossip between employees, making everyone feel like they always have to tread carefully and watch what they do/say. The overall feeling is one of being watched, rather than the company giving the employees the freedom and space to do what they need to do. Coming from a previous company in which I was always offered the trust to get my job done, it was a stark contrast not feeling that with Athene. This type of distrust carries over to some of the company's policies as well. Working from home sparingly is frowned upon (even though the work can easily be done remotely), which is silly as it is rather common these days. Even while sick, the policy is either "come in to the office or take PTO". Working extra hours is expected during busy seasons. This includes weekends, but don't expect to be compensated for working these days. The company obviously takes advantage of salaried employees, making them work well more than 40 hours a week without any overtime. However, plenty of other companies find other ways to make this up to their employees, like getting compensation days to take off in other parts of the year for working weekends. This may help explain why the turnover within the actuarial department is extremely high. The company tries to make excuses for the turnover rate in their internal meetings, but to be honest it is not surprising to see. Concluding with management again, the "Peter Principle" is rampant with this company. There are many instances of people working their way up and having power over others who so clearly do not deserve it. The lower level employees are then expected to do all the work with little guidance since the higher level employees do not know how to help.