Pros
PFM has been the number 1 Municipal Advisor for more than 15 years Excellent training program for incoming analysts Great office locations Once you get to the Project Management level and above, work life balance gets exponentially better Opportunity to provide a public good through the private sector Really close knit team
Kontras
There is a huge disconnect between analysts and senior management. PFM would rather hire analysts nationwide every quarter than compensate the current ones properly. The MDs account for 15% of overall staff but consume almost 70% of the bonus pool regardless of what they contribute. The firm is very decentralized...to the point where there is no single defining culture...just a multitude of teams. Some offices celebrate birthdays and give time off to see sick family members, other offices treat analysts like it's a sweatshop. Many ex-bankers come to PFM for a pre-retirement lifestyle, and only take away from the firm's growth.