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Guys, how is PWC India for senior associate position in terms of work culture, work pressure, work life balance, leisure time, leave policy, increments etc? In short a brief review about PWC India is much appreciated. Please note I am talking about PWC India. I heard PWC have multiple streams of businesses even in same LOB. Please share your insights about it too.
What is the difference between these three? PwC India PwC Pwc AC
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How much is everyone making?
First, NOTHING wrong with looking. So absolutely be looking. I love my current position but I’m always looking. You never know what could happen where you need to find something fast. You want to be prepared.
Consider a few things to make the decision...
-are you covering your costs (salary, overhead)? Or Just missing out on bonus opportunity? If you are not covering your costs, look to leave. Eventually the firm will release you... they aren’t going to take a loss.
-what is the firm mentality? Are they ok if you hobble along, so long as you aren’t a loss? Or do they expect you to be chasing the biggest bonus? If they want up or out, you might be released if billing doesn’t improve.
-what are you comfortable with? (Assuming termination threats aren’t present.) (Not saying this about you...) Some attys are fine floating along making a decent salary and not crushing hours, and some firms are ok with this too. Other attys want the hours and the bonus. What do you want for your job?
Very welcome. Good luck
Pro
I’m a 7th year and just did this myself. I left after about a year and 8 months (had tried leaving sooner, but it took this long to find another job). I really wanted this job to be my last move for a while and I’m extremely disappointed to be in this position. After about 6-8 months of me regularly asking for more work and better quality work, it became clear it wasn’t going to come. We also received printouts of all associates hours each month so it was obvious to me that I wasn’t the only person struggling with having enough to do. I had close to a year of an insufficient workload pre pandemic. Obviously, the pandemic definitely didn’t help things but it wasn’t the root cause. I think it’s vital to work in a place where you feel like you’re learning and growing in your career. I liked most of the people I worked with but felt stagnant and in some ways like I was regressing because I wasn’t getting the experience I wanted. No one at the firm seemed bothered by me not hitting my hours. I just need to feel productive. I like working and I like being an attorney most of the time. Not being able to bill a normal workweek for almost two years has been really difficult.
There’s never anything wrong with looking. I’m always looking, even when I’m happy in my job. If you go on any interviews be sure to ask how they deal with associate workflow and whether there are any systems or procedures in place to make sure associates have enough to do.
I did this when I was three months into my second year, found a job in a couple of months and left mid-way through my second year. I think it’s especially important to go when you are junior because you will be less useful anywhere if you spent years not learning anything, so I wouldn’t wait.
I agree with SC1 that it is never too early to start looking, finding a good recruiter who will actually put in the work for you, and seeing what is out there.
I just wanted to add that, though the conventional wisdom may be that 2nd year is too early to lateral, you do not want to be in a position where you aren’t marketable because your only experience is doc review. Keep pushing for substantive work, both for the sake of this job and to help yourself move if needed.
Finally, I’d just ask yourself if this seems like a rut or a systemic problem at the firm that is not likely to get better. Also, are you trying to go to a similar firm or somewhere bigger/smaller, more specialized/general, etc.