Company: KPMG
Date: 2017-12-19
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: current

Advisory - Risk Consulting
Pros: As a consulting firm, you get to work on more than one project compared with industry where the focus is the one job you hold. The variety of projects may be hit or a miss depending on the skillset and how well reputed your MD/Partner is. This can be an excellent place to start off a career straight out of school and/or if you have no liability outside of work (family, hobbies etc.)
Cons: - Fairly long working hours (70 + hours a week) is a consistency.
- Weekends are almost always tied up with work that cannot be completed through the week. 
-Work-life balance is a lip service. It also depends on who your partner/MD is - some appreciate work life balance more than others.
- There is little transparency in how the promotion process works - it almost always feels that people (MD/Partners) are gaming the system to their benefit, so unless you're cosy with your boss, it wouldn't matter how effective your client delivery and number of hours worked through the year is.
-Compensation at the year end is a one way street - no negotiation
- There is an underlying notion that you must be in a role for 2 years before being considered for a promotion, despite a stellar pre-KPMG resume. Lesson learn't - negotiate your title before you join the firm. 
- Cross functional rotation is almost non-existent unless you pitch for it yourself and your line of management is supportive of it. This is in contrast with how the firm itself touts the flexibility it offers in terms of performance development by allowing folks to develop cross-functional skills.
- Some folks are offered roles they are not suited/qualified for e.g. a 6 year stint in the firm can lead you into a Director role straight out of school, while many others despite more qualified experience and equally good qualifications may languish due to incompetent management/lack of objective recognition.