The work becomes very repetitive, very quickly. After a certain point, you stop learning because you’ve seen it all before. There’s a clear ceiling and not much beyond it – limited stretch, limited progression in terms of capability, and not many people left to actually learn from.
A big part of that is the lack of real business development. The business seems stuck recycling the same types of small-scale clients and projects, which means the work never really evolves. It’s hard to grow when the work itself doesn’t change.
Leadership is a major weakness, particularly at the senior level. It feels directionless and reactive rather than intentional. There’s no clear long-term plan, and communication is vague and often meaningless. It doesn’t feel like there’s a strong vision for where things are going – more like it’s just ticking along.
Pay and progression become a real issue the more senior you get. At junior levels it’s acceptable, but beyond that it quickly becomes uncompetitive – especially in London. Salaries don’t reflect the market, there are no bonuses, and recognition is minimal.