Pros
Seeing cool people (and outfits) in the elevator, occasional perks from the brands (events & promo stuff). Some smart people, some very creative minds with big ideas tied up in a nice package. Great iconic brands: The New Yorker, Vogue, Vanity Fair & Arch Digest. The rest of them kind of get lost in the shuffle.
Cons
Overall Business: CN is a PRINT focused company, they can tout that they're changing with the times but print revenue is still driving the most money and that's where their focus is. Digital lags at most of the brands and most of the print sellers don't want to learn the digital business and it seems like they don't have to in many cases. I think when their pages begin to dry up and they have to fold even more titles they will realize they were not really such an "innovative leader." The Publisher Shuffle: Unfortunately I got to go through one of these, after months of transition and massive layoffs and staff shuffles they still couldn't get their act together. They just changed peoples jobs/what they were hired to do without consideration to the actual person. No Job Security: Each day came and you lived in fear that you may be the next one on the chopping block. If you weren't in the "in" group, you were out of there, I was lucky to find another job so I could stop feeling so anxious about losing my current job. Favoritism: It seemed people with "connections" to Sr. Corporate Management got very unfair advantages, promotions, credit and awards when it wasn't deserved. The Publisher and the management team appeared to be doing a "favor" to get in good graces. Benefits and Pay: Not-comparable to other companies out there-10 days vacation & 4 personal days (negotiate if you can). Also getting a more senior title change (they call it a promotion) with no raise in pay is common, then you're locked into the salary and new senior "title" for a year. Not good for your career. Miss: One bathroom for women on a floor with about 75 of them. It was disgusting. I couldn't believe a company with such a "snooty" reputation could have such a gross bathroom. It smelled, was flooded and or dirty around 11am and didn't get cleaned until late in the evening almost every day. I tried to hold it as long as possible and would go by the cafe if I had too.
