Pros
Honestly not much that stands out positively. The Collins Street office view is nice if you’re lucky enough to be on the right side of the building, but that’s about it.
Some exposure to dealing and financial markets through assisting brokers and advisers.
Cons
Everything negative said in other reviews largely reflects my experience as well.
Compensation is poor for the level of workload expected, especially when compared to competitors in the industry who offer significantly better pay for less demanding assistant roles. It genuinely raises the question of why a younger person would stay long term.
The culture feels very outdated and stuck in a different era, almost like a company still operating in the 90s in terms of structure, mindset, and approach.
There is a strong old boys club / relationship-driven dynamic that can make the environment feel exclusionary rather than merit-based.
Career progression for junior staff is unclear and not well structured. Most younger employees tend to leave after a short period, largely due to lack of visible growth opportunities.
Workload can be heavy as a dealer’s assistant supporting multiple advisers/stockbrokers, particularly given the relatively low compensation compared to peer firms.
Learning and development is mostly informal and inconsistent, making it difficult to build a clear path of progression within the company.