PwC reviews

It is very competitive, and compensation depends in part on how your supervisor and HR choose to see you, rather than high marks from those you actually work for. Gossip about you to your supervisor, even if demonstrably untrue, counts against you. The arduous review process, supposedly meant to guarantee fairness, somehow results in the same few people getting the highest marks every year. Sometimes it is well-deserved, but sometime it is more a question of maintaining the status quo, popularity, and being a gossip to your supervisor so that you look better by comparison. The dice are definitely loaded, even if it looks good on paper.

Where to Start? Poor motivators for more seasoned employees, especially those coming in mid-career. A variety of demoralizing factors: passive aggressive leaders, young managers and director-level employees (mid 20’s thru mid 30’s)) who manage much more mature, seasoned, and frankly effective strong performers who were hired in as more junior (associate and senior associate levels) and are forced to submit to this upside down management structure. These younger managers and directors are often times immature (chronically and emotionally), have no management skills so they attempt to micro-manage, have short fuses, exhibit an utter lack of respect for the individual, and have a tendency to snap at you when you don’t immediately meet their ridiculous and petty demands. In short, they are bullies! These people also expect you to regularly work 10+ hour days, be available on email until late into the night, and sacrifice your weekends, at times for work assignments that can easily wait until Monday morning. Additionally, there is no tolerance and respect for individual communication styles as well as for minor errors and the learning curve. You are expected to know everything day one on the project and are sometimes looked at as sub-human if you don’t capitulate to the above points and don’t do everything perfect 100% of the time. Hard work is unappreciated, only thing that matters is how well-connected/well-liked you are, namely if you are a good brown-noser or a male. Soon after starting here, terrible feelings of guilt began to overcome me because of the culture that I am describing and I actually began to believe that I was a bad employee - this is how they brainwash you. Women have it difficult here, despite well-touted diversity claims. God help you if you want to start a family and be a good mother; it’s nearly impossible, for work is always expected to come first expect for a chosen few whose path has been greased by favoritism. Additionally, the “keeping up with the joneses” mentality is very prevalent around pay, bonuses, and promotions. Everyone is advertising the numbers (if they received generosity) and speculating aloud why employee A was/wasn’t promoted and employee B was/wasn’t. This is especially hard to stomach if you are a diligent and hard worker and strong performer, but this is not reflected in your annual assessment and compensation. This place created a host of issues for me and ruined my mental and emotional well-being. I am still recovering a year later.