Pros
I worked at Spencer Stuart for over 20 years, loved the business, and was very proud to be part of such a highly respected firm. The organization is very well run with strong leadership, terrific people who are motivated and very focused on serving clients in the highest quality manner. The firm works hard to present diverse slates of candidates and has been a leader in the placement of women on Boards of Directors. The benefits program is strong and the training and development programs are well resourced and thoughtful. What I especially appreciated is that the firm rewards individual initiative within a team environment. The industry and functional practices are flexible enough to encourage and support a sense of intrapreneurship. Also, the systems and database are top notch as are the research associates.
Cons
Like most client service oriented firms you can't always achieve an ideal work-life balance. If you are reluctant to roll up your sleeves and put in the hours, this is not the business for you. Similarly, if business development/bringing in new business is not something that you enjoy...this is not the role for you. As an additional point (especially in today's environment), the firm has not been as effective as they should and can be in terms of racial diversity (only 2% of consultant base is black).