Ares Management Corporation

Arlington
Total Offices: 11
2,135 Total Employees
Year Founded: 1997

What's It Like to Work at Ares Management Corporation?

Updated on April 14, 2026

This page summarizes recurring themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Ares Management Corporation and has not been reviewed or approved by Ares Management Corporation.

What's it like to work at Ares Management Corporation?

Strengths in team support, values-driven leadership, and robust benefits are accompanied by challenges tied to workload intensity, uneven management effectiveness, and perceived limits to advancement. Together, these dynamics suggest a strong yet demanding employer brand where the experience can vary by team and often trades work-life balance for opportunity and rewards.

Key Insight for Candidates

Defining tradeoff: Ares’ praised, values‑driven culture and generous benefits come with an “always‑on” cadence fueled by rapid expansion and lean staffing. This intensity often strains work‑life balance, including off‑hours and vacations. Expect high responsiveness norms that can overshadow the otherwise supportive platform.

Evidence in Action

  • CREST Values-Driven Culture Internal sentiment cites the CREST values and 94% confidence in competent, ethical management as core cultural anchors. The explicit creed strengthens employer reputation, helping employees feel aligned, proud, and clear on behavioral norms.
  • Always-On Work Cadence Recurring employee feedback describes an 'anytime, anywhere, even on vacation' availability expectation and long hours, sometimes driven by understaffed teams. The always-on rhythm boosts speed and client outcomes but erodes balance, leading employees to view the employer as demanding and uneven across teams.

Positive Themes About Ares Management Corporation

  • Team Support: Colleagues are often seen as kind and supportive, and the culture emphasizes collaboration and teamwork across groups. Feedback suggests a collegial environment that empowers people and encourages an ownership approach.
  • Values & Integrity: Management is described as competent and ethical, and the firm anchors behavior in its CREST values of collaboration, responsibility, entrepreneurship, self‑awareness, and trustworthiness. These principles are presented as central to how the company hires, operates, and invests.
  • Benefits & Perks: Compensation and benefits are considered competitive and comprehensive, including performance bonuses and broad medical, dental, and vision coverage. Offerings extend to family planning, financial wellness resources, and retirement savings with corporate matching.

Considerations About Ares Management Corporation

  • Workload & Burnout: Work hours are frequently portrayed as long with expectations to be available anytime, including during vacations. Understaffing in some teams is said to create unsustainable workloads and pressure.
  • Weak Management: Management is at times depicted as unreceptive to negative feedback, with references to a blaming culture. Some accounts describe unprofessional senior behavior that undermines the day‑to‑day experience.
  • Career Stagnation: Advancement is described as limited in places, with increased responsibilities not always translating into growth or appropriate compensation. Some employees perceive little room for progression in certain teams.
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These insights are generated using AI and may not reflect internal data or verified company information. They are intended solely for general informational purposes and should not be considered a definitive assessment of the company’s reputation. If you are a representative of this company, and would like this page to be removed, you may contact us via this form.
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