Company: PwC
Date: 2011-04-22
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: current

Great accounting experience, bad work/life balance
Pros: - You learn so much about accounting and auditing in such little time
- Unlimited sick time
- Good vacation time
- Lack of staff allows you exposure to more complex accounting areas and experience on a ton of different clients
- Generally smart co-workers
- There is a special bond with the college grads you started at the firm with
Cons: - Understaffing + Busy Season = Long hours. Hours range from 9am - 9pm, 9am - Midnight, or 9am - who knows and don't count on having the weekend off. This all depends on the client you end up being placed on.
- Since as long as you pass the CPA exam and stay at the firm, you'll be promoted. This causes certain people to be promoted who lack managerial and leadership skills. I've had Seniors and Managers who just don't believe in "planning." This is really frustrating for the Associates that actually do the testing. 
- Upper management knows they are understaffed and moral is low but lacks the ability/ know-how to fix things and retain their talent. The firm thinks very "short-term" when it comes staffing, and doesn't seem to demonstrate an interest in retaining the best talent for years to come. 
- It's hard to picture yourself staying at the firm when you see Senior Managers working later than you. One would think that if you stick it out until Manager, you get to put your feet up a little and have a normal life to build a family. The exact opposite it true. Managers are worked just as hard as day one.