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Oaktree Capital Management

Engaged Employer

Oaktree Capital Management reviews

3.6

49% would recommend to a friend

(206 total reviews)

Armen Panossian, Robert O’Leary and Todd Molz

66% approve of CEO

56% positive business outlook

Oaktree Capital Management has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 206 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Oaktree Capital Management employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Financial Services industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

206 reviews
2.0
Oct 18, 2021

It's a circus

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You will impress many future recruiters with the name on your resume. The front office workers seem to be happy.

Cons

This review is primarily directed towards anyone interested in the "Accounting Manager" roles which are constantly posted for the LA office. When a recruiter contacted me about one of these open positions, I was very interested. It seemed like a great opportunity to work at a premier private equity shop in a manager role. But I would like to give you insight into what you're potentially getting yourself into: The reason these roles are constantly open is not because of business growth or internal promotion, but because the turnover in the accounting department, particularly distressed debt, is extremely high. While I was there nearly half the team left or was actively seeking different opportunities. Generally speaking, people don't leave jobs when they feel valued, feel challenged, have good relationships with their managers, have career opportunities, etc. The turnover being so high should give you insight into the environment.The grunt work is done in India by people working LA hours. They work night shift so they too have high turnover. You will be "managing" people 8,500 miles away. And I use the term "manager" very loosely. The reality is the real managers are the VPs, who sit in their offices all day barking orders and whining through emails. You will have 3 or 4 of them above you who are all very demanding. They don't communicate well between each other so no one knows how busy you are at any given moment. They are primarily interested in keeping the front office happy, with no interest in their subordinates happiness, career development, or overall well-being. They will very happily and very publicly throw you under a bus in order to protect their hides. It's a very disrespectful environment where everyone appears to be looking out for themselves only. You will be buried under paper as the technology is very old-school and arcaic. The way the work is organized is also chaotic - dozens of people are posting journal entries and booking transactions with little communication. It can only be described as a circus. If you are desperate for work and you get an offer, I suggest accepting the offer, doing your time (1 or 2 years), and getting out...life is too short to work at a place like this.

3.0
May 28, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Oaktree is a place where everyone is competent, intelligent, well-spoken, effective and pleasant. - Exposure to people and product knowledge is plentiful. - Compensation is above average, although not spectacular. - The vacation policy is antiquated but the health coverage is unparalleled.

Cons

- The last year has changed Oaktree as it has morphed from a optimistic 'tackle-anything' small office firm to a more corporate, cost-cutting, EPS-driven structure; this is largely driven by the new CEO. - There is no real opportunity for promotion or bonus increases, as promotion timelines have been significantly lengthened to slow the growth of compensation expense for shareholders. - Corporate direction occurs behind closed doors until it is unveiled as a surprise email or an announcement in a meeting.

2.0
Nov 1, 2019

Toxic environment

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A respected name in the industry that looks good on a resume. Some seem to genuinely enjoy their job. There are opportunities to learn about the industry. The benefits are ok. Its founders are well known. Some seem to have a good work/life balance while others are treading water constantly.

Cons

It seems Oaktree has made a concerted decision that fear and intimidation would be utilized as its primary motivational tool. There is not open communication among staff, and management has formed cliques that can only be entered by a few. There is no room for error at Oaktree; everyone is afraid to make a mistake. The intimidation comes from the top down and it hovers like a dark cloud over the office. This creates constant tension that is exhausting. Processes are cumbersome and frustrating as the company has not kept up with its growth. Technology is sub-par and adds to the frustration. There is a lack of respect for people; lots of attitudes, egos, rolling of the eyes, office politics, etc. Training is very poor here. No one has time, or desire, to train others - but expectations remain very high on day one. It's truly a "sink or swim" environment. Mentor/protege relationships do not seem to be valued. Management understands the technical aspects of the business but lacks an understanding of people. I've yet to hear one manager accept responsibility for a mistake - the buck is always passed to a subordinate. There are many bosses but no leaders. Lots of self-centered people uninterested in the welfare of others. I assume in the old days the company had a heart - but as it's grown it's lost its way. Those who are successful here seem to be cut from the same cloth. This has normalized odd, disrespectful behavior. Many drink the Kool Aid, get well paid, and hang around for the miserable ride.

Viewing 1 - 3 of 206 Reviews

Glassdoor has 238 Oaktree Capital Management reviews submitted anonymously by Oaktree Capital Management employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Oaktree Capital Management is right for you.