We get Owen Street's thoughts on working at Merrill Lynch in
London
Computer Weekly, in association with human resources
magazine Personnel Today, is searching for the best places to work
in IT. We aim to put together an "alternative prospectus" of good
places to work as selected by those who work in them. We have had a
phenomenal response and week-by-week we will bring you highlights
from some of the entries. This week we get Owen Street's thoughts
on working at Merrill Lynch in London
Atmosphere
- What colour is the carpet?
Blue-grey, coffee-coloured.
- How close do you sit to your nearest colleague?
Three paces.
- How much is a cup of tea?
Free.
- Describe your office
Very lively, lots of things going on, be it work-related or
chilling between jobs.
- Do you and your colleagues socialise out of work? What do you
do?
Pub, cinema, go for meals, snowboarding. Did I mention the
pub?
- Any other comments
The 10ft auto-return golf course is a must for any office. We
couldn't do without ours.
Location
- Are there pubs in walking distance of your office? How much is
a pint of beer?
There are a lot of pubs within walking distance. Difficult to
pick which one to go to. Beer is usually bought by the management
(good on 'em).
- Do you feel in the heart of the IT action?
Yes.
- Any other comments
Centre of London, fantastic. Loads of restaurants, pubs and
shops.
Benefits
- How much maternity/ paternity leave do you get?
Two weeks paternity.
- How many days holiday do you get (excluding bank
holidays)?
25.
- Does your company provide a subsidised canteen? How much is a
meal and what's your favourite dish?
Yes, it costs a couple of quid for a decent lunch (pasta, chinese,
roast, etc) and a large seven-item fried breakfast is about
£1.50.
- Is there a company pension?
Yes.
- Do you go on team-building events?
Yes, generally a meal at a restaurant then clubbing the night away
(all free).
- Any other benefits?
Dental plan, health insurance, company share scheme, ability to
trade through company, gym, swimming pool, squash courts.
Training
- Has your company helped you develop a career path?
I have always spoken to management about what my possible career
paths are within the company. I have always received backing and
support when attempting to attain personal goals.
- Do you have an annual appraisal which is followed up by an
action plan?
Yes.
- List the courses you have been on.
Business, SMS, Win2000, TCP/IP, Bloomberg, Reuters.
- Does your firm have its own IT training department?
Yes.
- Are there opportunities to move around within the company to
gain experience?
Yes.
- Any other comments on training and development?
Very well developed in-house computer-based training and
material.
Technology
- Do you get access to cutting-edge technology? Give us some
examples.
Gigabit networks, ADSL, Firewire, mobile Web applications.
- Describe any exciting projects you have worked on.
Testing most of the above.
- Is your software updated in line with new releases?
Yes.
- How big is your monitor?
2 x 21in.
- How old is the oldest PC in your department?
Nine months.
- Describe your IT department in three words.
Young, immature, professional.
I work here
Name: Owen Street
Job Title: System specialist
Company: Merrill Lynch, investment bank
Location: London