Pros
Chatham does an excellent job identifying and hiring talented people. The work is challenging, but certain aspects can be learned and mastered fairly quickly, giving new hires the opportunity to make a solid impact fairly early on. I enjoyed how willing people are to teach and help each other and the company does a great job of investing time in the initial training of new hires. Chatham also has a well-earned reputation for excellent client service and has a very strong market position in its core business. I think an entry level analyst position at Chatham is a fantastic opportunity for a new or recent college graduate because of the quality of the people working there and the ability to delve into some fairly complex financial structures.
Cons
Chatham has no clear path for career growth, nor are there objective standards by which performance is measured or rewarded. The pace and volume of work can drive an unhealthy stress level and work-life balance can be a challenge. The company seems to lack strategic direction at times and the home-grown cadre of leaders lack practical experience leading, mentoring and developing people. Proactive people development at the corporate level is non-existent and very limited growth opportunities create a situation where most new hires should plan to work hard and learn for 3-5 years before moving on to another opportunity.