Pros
There's a nice atmosphere at NQA. The work can be intense and relentless at times but the managers and directors have come from the field and still do a bit of auditing as well as their other jobs so know what its like. My colleagues are excellent and supportive in most cases. The clients are varied, both in size and in industry which makes assessing them interesting. NQA work to make the work life balance as reasonable as possible. The auditing days are amongst the lowest in the industry which leaves time for planning and admin. The pension is good and we get a choice (a very limited choice but a choice) of company car. Salaries are competitive and are benchmarked against competitors. Training appears structured although it gets rushed through.
Cons
Career development seems to be by luck rather than any structure. Most assessors just accumulate standards to audit against because other opportunities are basically by being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes you just don't get on with a client and its hard to pass them on to someone else. On the other hand sometimes you really like a client and look forward to seeing them the next year but they've been given to someone else. Some assessors are a bit institutionalised and don't show any initiative. They are very value focussed so don't expect fancy hotels or staff parties. In fact you have to book your own hotel and flights and claim the money back which doesn't suit everyone.