Company: PwC
Date: 2009-02-11
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: current

Work for experience not for money.
Pros: great career oppurtunities, good compesation packages, work with other highly skilled professionals, work on several different kinds of projects.
Voted #1 ideal employer in our profession by business students, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Universum Undergraduate Survey 
Named one of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in 2005” 
In the US, PwC holds the leading position as auditor to the Fortune 500, auditing 33% of Fortune 500 revenues 
Globally, PwC firms provide significant audit and advisory services for 79% of the Fortune Global 500 
Ranked #2 among top 10 employers of INROADS interns, ahead of the other Big 4 firms 
Ranked #2 on The Black Collegian magazine’s list of The Top 100 Employers of 2004 
Named a “100 Best Company” by Working Mother magazine for the 9th year in a row—only Big 4 firm to be ranked in Top 10 (2001, 2004) 
Named one of Working Mother’s Top Companies for Women of Color in 2005 
Universum Communications and The Black Collegian presented The Top 50 Diversity Employers of 2004—PwC was ranked #10 
Recognized in DiversityInc as one of 50 Best Companies for Diversity in 2004 
Ranked #1 in our profession as the Most Ideal Diversity Employer among 
Undergraduates in the American Diversity Edition of the 2004 Universum Survey 
Ranked #3 on DiversityInc’s list of Top 10 Companies for Executive Women 
Ranked #9 on DiversityInc’s list of Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans in 2004 
Voted #1 Top Company Website by students in the 2005 Universum Undergraduate Survey 
Named “Big Four Firm of the Year” for the second year in a row by Accountancy Age magazine 
Received inaugural “Employer of the Year” award from Accountancy Age magazine 
Ranked #1 Most Prestigious Accounting Firm in Vault’s 2004 Accounting Survey
Cons: Compensation is far below finance roles outside of PwC and other big 4 firms, long hours, inefficient use of time, inefficiency is rewarded, lower/mid level staff are mostly incompitent, difficult to obtain time with partners
Long hours during busy seasons. Work assignments can be boring at times. Sometimes there are poor communications from superiors, but can be easily managed usually, communication is the key to success. HR department is not very helpful at times. Lots of sudden assignments and projects which can push you to the limit.
- Difficulty in measuring quality of output - not a PwC specific issue, but in areas such as audit it is easier to measure quantity than quality - as a result, some people do have the slightly cynical view that recognition and reward will link to quantity rather than quality. This is not quite true and certainly quality is valued, but unfortunately it is not always easily measured, and as a result, rewarded. This, combined with the fact that PwC is a very large organisation, means that, with some exceptions, progression often comes down to the amount of time you have spent with the firm.

- Cyclical work flows – dependant on your line of service, industry group and time of year – For auditors, certain months can be highly demanding, and leave little time for a personal life, and some staff may feel that there is an expectation that they will work long hours. But equally, there are quieter periods, which do offer the opportunity for much easier hours or time off. Again, not really a PwC specific issue.