Amex = great company; provides growth opportunities, ability to move within its divisions & promotes talent from within.
Pros
Senior leadership seems to have the best interest of the company as well as the employee in mind. Work/life balance is important & practiced in every role I've worked in with the company. Like any job out there, a large portion of your "work satisfaction" really comes down to your immediate leader. I've been extremely fortunate that most of my leaders have been strong performers & genuinely cared for the development of their direct reports. American Express also provides the ability to move within its many divisions and is focused on promoting talent from within. If you have the will to succeed, are willing develop your skills and put the effort into it, American Express is a great place to work.
Cons
The newly retooled medical benefits took an average benefits package and made it slightly below par. Also, when work load demands it, professional level employees can be expected to put in more than 50 hours per week. While one's effort is usually recognized for the extra hours, it can be discouraging if you're continually asked to do this. While I'm sure this is not unique to Amex, it is still a downside. The inverse is also true & can have an equally negative affect on your job satisfaction. If you're looking to coast in your 9 to 5, Amex is large enough where you can do the minimum if you have a poor enough leader. It makes it challenging to accomplish your tasks/goals when you are forced to work with these individuals.