Pros
1) Freedom to think independently Many companies say they want this, but in reality, staff that voice different informed opinions gets ostracized. This is not the case at Capital Dynamics. As an analyst here, you are encouraged to get rid of the box entirely, not just thinking outside it and question established conventions. In the long run, this will make you a far better thinker. 2) Culture of meritocracy Again, many companies say this, but often times is riddled with office politics. At Capital Dynamics, schmoozing around will lead you nowhere - it is your skills, dedication and contributions that matter 3) Opportunity to create As an analyst, you will be able to be as creative as you want in your research process (with ethics + the law in mind). You will also be able to see your work get published and have the opportunity to participate/present in our annual investor day event whose attendance draws well over 7,000 people each year. As an analyst, you are able to through time and experimentation, develop your own investment philosophy and style (anchored to value) 4) Environment to test yourself Whilst many companies speak about the merit in failure and making mistakes in the learning process, the reality is staff are often scared to do so - and worse, admit it - for their own job security. At Capital Dynamics, you will have the room to fail, and to learn from it. The benefit of this over the long run is immeasurable 5) Be part of a journey Whilst we operate and invest globally, we are still largely a start-up. This means we are short on resources and must be creative in identifying solutions. But this also means everyone has the opportunity to contribute in the multiple facets of the business - all the way from recruitment to filling bags with goodies. The level of involvement and engagement will expose you to what the reality of businesses really is and make you a better analyst and also develop your character. Most importantly, you will feel part of the company, instead of just another number on a payroll.
Cons
Everything from 1 to 5 above, if viewed from another perspective are cons: 1) Freedom to think independently Those who are used to the typical corporate environment of being told how and what to think will feel lost. This leads to the eventuality of blaming everyone but themselves. 2) Culture of meritocracy Those who like and are used to the typical corporate environment of cozying up to the boss "to climb the corporate ladder" will fail here simply because the organisation is so flat and that anyone can be questioned. 3) Opportunity to create Those who are used to being given a brief of what to create with detailed step by step instructions - like what is typically done at many organisations - will feel lost and stressed when asked to be creative 4) Environment to test yourself Those who are used to being hand held and micro managed will view this freedom for experimentation and failure as no guidance 5) Be part of a journey Instead of viewing it as being involved, one can also view this as a nuisance i.e. "it is not on my job list"
