Company: PwC
Date: 2013-05-30
Overall rating: 2/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Junior

Only join if you are sure you want to pursue a long-term career in accounting
Pros: -Learn a lot about accounting
-Driven, career-minded people
-Brand/reputation & big name clients
-Upward mobility - the way is paved for you to be making a very good salary in ten years
Cons: I want to point out that I joined PwC not sure if I wanted to stay in accounting or not, so if you (whoever is reading) is set on accounting, please disregard the following:

-Business knowledge/skills you obtain are not as transferable to other jobs as they seem
-Experience is not highly respected outside of accounting (its a brand name, that's it)
-Management is jaded - most have no concept of a normal work environment and do little to comprehend it. Employees there actually look down upon their clients who work 8-5pm - if you had to re-read that because it didn't make sense, I am envious of you, I'm almost a year our and I still have that outlook on life (I don't want it).
-Long hours with no over-time pay and weak bonuses - it is true that other professions work as many or even more hours (IB, PE, & MC) but look at any strategy/decision-making related job description and you will see required experience in one of those three professions - my point being at least the few years of 70hr weeks of IB, PE & MC mean something to the rest of the world
-"Prior year" mentality + understaffed departments = lack of critical thinking and lots of it (the minions rise and it never gets better) - you will learn how to do your job within a box
-Partners are constantly bringing in more business while under recruiting - the idea that they sign off on revenue forecasts or 'consult' on supply chain management is comical

Overall, (with the caveat above) it's a very demanding occupation that does not prepare you as well for the outside world as everyone believes. If you want an exciting career, at least try to find something else, then settle if you have to.