Company: PwC
Date: 2021-01-24
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Senior

Still a good place for the career start
Pros: 1. This is a Big-4 Firm. 
It still has a strong global brand, smoothly working processes, cross-border environment.
2. If you are hard-working, overachiever and a clever person - most likely you'll love this job. If not - think twice before applying.
3. Depends on department and team, but in general tasks at higher positions (Manager and above) are quite interesting and you may really feel that you are working in Global organisation.

The main pros:
+ Intensive training programs (both soft and technical ones) and on-the-job coaching, possibility to start working right after the University and without previous working experience. Rich internal online trainings library.
+ Variety of tasks, possibility to constantly learn and try something new (depends from the department though).
+ Possibility for professional growth, vertical and horizontal mobility (but refer to Cons below).
+ Still possibility for relocating abroad (not easy, but possible).
+ Annual compensation growth in case of STRONG performance.
+ Mostly young people in the collective, informal atmosphere.
+ Good technical supply (laptops, software).
+ Still quite strong 'Western company'-style corporate culture.
+ You can find very talented people at senior positions who could be your role model. I believe it is also possible to find a good career coach inside the Firm.
Cons: Everything is IMHO. Just take it.

The first and the main point: the Firm is different from what it was in early 2000s, Firm management is different,  career ladder is different, the market is completely different. 

You should not expect high salaries (at least at the beginner positions), fancy away-days and trainings abroad, rich compensations, quick promotions, etc. 
Yes, mostly everything depends on you and your efforts, but everything is slow now. 

The second one: many aspects of your daily work highly depend on team and specific manager / team leader.
So you may find completely opposite reviews regarding the Firm, and both could be true. I was lucky enough to work with mostly cool people, so my review is overall positive.

The third: think about your exit-ops! There are a lot of former PwC employees on the market - be proactive in designing your career inside the Firm and be unique if you decide to leave it. 

Other cons:
- Salaries are low, especially for beginner positions and the back-office. It is really LOW. Especially in Russia. Compensations are much better in other countries (even compared with a more expensive costs to live), and hours in busy season are not that long.
- Due to low salaries and slow professional growth it is hard to attract young talented graduates - quality of junior staff is declining.
- Annual bonuses at SC+ positions are also low compared to industry.
- Slow promotions in comparison with 10 years ago. No more double promotions, etc. 
- Long hours (10-14+ a day) with almost neverending 'busy season' in Assurance (can't say for other departments).
- You may face quite 'toxic' people at all levels, but overall ethic is strong.
- Most of the cool stuff is happening in Moscow office, not in the regions.

Specific points for Assurance:
- A lot of limitations, rules, policies - audit is a highly regulated environment. For example, you should be careful of your personal investments in stocks, etc.
- Audit is not a fancy and cool job, a lot of tasks in nature are BORING.