Company: PwC
Date: 2011-06-24
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: current

It was the best of times, it was the worse of times...
Pros: Upon graduating from university, I was fortunate enough to have received job offers from all of the Big 4 accounting firms. I chose PwC because I perceived the people who work there as being upbeat, friendly, and very easy to get along with. After 4 years working at PwC, this still rings true. I absolutely adore my co-workers. Many of the individuals that I started with are now considered as lifelong friends, rather than just colleagues. Having such personable and amiable individuals make the team dynamics at PwC really special. Whether it be associates, managers, or even partners - everyone here treats everyone else with mutual respect. The work enviroment in this respect is incredible, and one of the things that I love the most about my job. There is a sense of trust (ex: in most cases, upper management does not badger you for status updates - they trust that you'll complete what you have to do). Other perks at PwC include:

-good coaching/support (depends on your coach...but most are dedicated to helping you)
-promotions/salary raise every year
-3 weeks of vacation, 10 sick days 
-lots of professional development (in-house training)
-very reputable company to work for/looks great on a CV)
-exposure to many different industries
-opportunities to transfer to other PwC offices
Cons: Work life balance is difficult to accomplish. During the summer and fall, hours are generally not that bad, but are still above the normal 9-5 (ex: normal hours during the off-season are 9-6:30PM, and I normally eat lunch at my desk or take a 30 min lunch at the max). During busy season, a minimum of 9 hours is mandatory, although I usually end up working approx. 12 hours. Overtime is not compensated; if the annual salary is divided by the actual hours worked, I am afraid that I may be working for peanuts...