Company: PwC
Date: 2009-12-03
Overall rating: 1/5
Employment status: current

Stay away if you can, or be prepare to throw your life away
Pros: 1. Prestigious name - good for resume
2. Reimburses you for the CPA exam and Becker materials
3. During the 3 months of "down season" you don't have to work 40 hours a week. (although you have to book it)  People come in at 10, leave around 5 or 6.  No one watches to see that you come in on time, but then again this policy is used as an excuse for keeping you here until 3 or 4 am.
4. Very structured promotion track.  Right now with the economy and paycuts, it's harder to get promoted, but otherwise it's a typical 3 years into a senior associate position, then another 3 or so to manager.  Obviously when you get to manager your promotion depends on how much revenue you bring in.  Most people don't stay past senior.  90% (or probably even mroe, I don't have the actual number) of people who begin as Associate Staff 1 leave the firm in 4 or 5 years.
5.  Which brings me to my next point.... once you leave, you're going to be able to land a much better job but 30% pay increase and 50% less hours.
Cons: Everything else is a con.  Don't do this unless you're an accounting major and you need your CPA.  Think of your time here as a masters degree.  Put in 2 years and leave.  Hell leave before that if you can. It's not for everyone, so you should definitely do your research and be prepared.  Intern so you can really see what;s it like and decide if you think you can put 2 years into it. I still recommend it for those who want to pursue the accounting track and do more than payrolls and A/R.  Unfortunately because of the way the accounting industry is set up, you just really need to pay your dues before you can get out and do anything else.

For a more detailed list of why working here sucks:
 - no work life balance.  Tax busy season is Jan to 9/15.  You get 3 months basically of a normal 9 to 5.  the mentality here is you work until you drop. there is no definition of being "unavailable".  as far as they're concerned, you're available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, save for a few hours to sleep. during busy season you will work more than your IBanker friends and make minimum wage. 
 - a lot of office politics.  some people are actually told at evaluations that if their work is fine, but if they want to succeed, they need to learn to play this game better.  And it's true.  It doesnt matter how much work you do and how well it is, it all depends on your network.
 - you don't get OT, you don't get fired - you get coached out, so there's no severance, and those who do get fired are gone by the end of the day.  their desks are still decorated and everything is still there, you're just never heard from again.
 - the whole utilization/booking chargeable hour system is self contradictory, but it will make or break your career.  You need to be fully utilized, but you have to stay within the budget. Book all your hours, but don't really book all your hours.  You will be utilized at 200% but you will only show u on the record as being utilized at 90%, and that still won't be good enough.  BUt god forbid you're at 100%, then you're doing something wrong.
 - HR is useless.  So is your coach and relationship partner.  You're on your own.