Pros
+ I got to work abroad several times in Lisbon and Paris + I made some great friends and contacts + I attended some cool awards ceremonies + Private health care included + Some really nice events organised - in gorgeous locations
Cons
- I was signed off for 6 weeks of therapy because my line manager bullied me, and I had to find a new job - HR did not help me, they gas-lit me and made it worse - There is a strong hierarchy system. People will fall over themselves trying to suck up to the guys at the top. It also means there are a few narcissists who think they are ordained by God to rule over departments. - Lots of mice in the London office - My manager was especially weird, like she wouldn't let me send an email before she'd read it and told me in private most weeks that she was going to take the "senior" out of my title and continue to extend my probation period indefinitely. She instructed me create a graph listing how I must allowed to address people based on their seniority in the bank. And I needed to carry it with me and refer to it whenever I wanted to send an email or talk to anyone. It was super controlling. She also expected me to take notes of what she said, and prepare briefs for her before every meeting, like she was the Prime Minister or something. I've never encountered anyone that delusional or controlling before, and hope that I never do again! When I showed HR (after I had already started to burn out and experience bouts of blindness) I was dismissed and told to pull myself together. When I went to the doctor, she took one look at the graph and signed me off for as long as I wanted. I didn't get any compensation or anything, even though I'd moved countries and taken a pay cut (of more than £20k) for the job. Didn't even get my bonus.