Pros
Talented people, and lots of job experience quickly. Because headcount is insufficient, you'll find yourself doing lots in various areas.
Cons
Elsevier is not good at developing talent. When I started here, there was almost no training offered to me. Management is consistently not developed as management--and the structures are such that particularly middle management cannot be effective. There is a disconnect between even mid-level management and those on the ground--there is a lack of understanding of what people are doing and an unwillingness to discipline or let go those who are not pulling their weight. Hiring is EXTREMELY political, particularly in certain groups, and criticisms are often personality-based. Elsevier is not a data-driven organization; there is little accountability for jobs done well and poorly, and lots of talk of "gut feelings" from senior management.
