Pros
For these tough times, the jobs are relatively secure though I'm not sure why. I was expecting more layoffs than we've had, and we actually are hiring in some cases. The pay and benefits are better than other banks.
Kontras
It's become embarrassing to be associated with Amex since we took billions of dollars from the government through the TARP program. Whenever I am with a group of people outside of work, someone naturally asks where I work. My answer of "American Express" gets the whole group's attention and I must then endure a long list of complaints about what Amex is doing with their money. The chiding even comes from my own relatives. Once someone even said they pay my salary now. Thank goodness I don't work for AIG, or I guess I would be getting physical threats, but it's wearing nonetheless. Back in the '90s I respected our CEO Ken Chenault (then a Sr VP) and our other Senior leaders a lot for their wise conservative decisions, but I was wrong about Ken being at all conservative - something a bank really must have - and now I just feel shame.