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I should add (because I didn’t have room in the OP) that I was an Advisory MD, and the toxicity gets worse the further you move up the ladder. I know so many people at KPMG who aspire to making partner one day, but seriously, how many partners seem to be content in their lives? Most of them are super-stressed and grumpy. Maybe it’s just me, but that isn’t something I aspire to be. In fact, I was once reprimanded for taking responsibility for my team’s mistakes instead of throwing them under the bus. Perhaps I’m being naive, but I always thought the first obligation of a leader is to assume responsibility when things go wrong. Isn’t that what a leader is paid for? Well, apparently not at KPMG.
So I joined a smaller consulting firm. Better money, much higher VC, more variety in my work, more intellectually stimulating, and way more freedom to serve my clients however I want. It’s taking some time to get over the PTSD from several years at KPMG. That’s because it’s strange to find myself in a culture where leaders actually support their people rather than seek opportunities to screw them, and where people collaborate instead of stabbing each other in the back. And best of all, I’ll never have to hear terms like CPE and Sentinel again.
Advisory is notoriously cutthroat and I would provide examples but I have a feeling we know some of the same characters....
On the one hand It is great to hear you have found a better and happier place, but on the other, I kind of wonder what the purpose of this post is?
A1 nailed it. I’m just venting, that’s all. But I am curious to know whether others have had similar experiences.
I’m sorry you had a bad experience. I had the same experience at Deloitte and left. A good friend of mine has been at Deloitte 12 years and loves it. Every experience is different
That’s a fair point
OP, I am glad you found a place you like and enjoy. I just want to point out that every place will have positives and negatives. It is unfortunate that you had a bad experience at KPMG but I have many friends at the Partner and MD levels who are extremely happy and content. It has a lot to do with the practice area and the leadership at that point in time.
Highly overqualified admin from an upper class background here I am aware that I stick out like a dot on a domino but that’s only b/c people at KPMG ask too many personal questions that are not relevant to work. It’s obnoxious and I even had an associate director giving me sass the other day because she saw me drinking an iced beverage that I bought instead of water from a paper cup. I felt like saying, “Why don’t you just admit that your real problem is that I walk out of the building and have easily the same standard of living as you and even live on your block?!”
I really don’t have a flashy lifestyle or wear clothes that draw that much attention or like to draw attention to the fact that I went to certain schools, grew up in certain places, etc., but it seems like it bothers people that I am not poor, dumb, and uneducated because I am BPG. Or perhaps because my dad didn’t work for KPMG, it’s ok to act like his work somehow wasn’t legitimate even though he was saving lives. And if I wanted to be a lazy lump and live with my family and not work, that could have been arranged but I have too much self-respect for that.
In the spirit of Day of Understanding, fine, ask me the “difficult questions.” And when you don’t like the answers, then you can go get therapy or a part-time job.
In conclusion, I agree entirely. I have worked at start-ups, media companies, etc. where diverse groups of us worked along side each other and were productive and even enjoyed each other’s company as the professionals and well-rounded humans that we were/are. I have looked to leave the firm but the timing just isn’t right for me in several aspects of my life. That and the pay and stability and certain projects I am working on and a couple of friends there make me want to stick around at least for now.
I will never claim to have hit a grand slam or even a homer knowing that I was born on 3rd base, but don’t try to make me apologize for it either
Op I hear you. I left KPMG for the same reason. Lot of backstabbing and politics...I hate the firm and what it has become.
What scares me is how awful the women are too each other. I am female and I am more than aware of what we have to deal with, but can’t we at least try to be supportive of one another?
I love KPMG, culture and people but I’ve only been here 6 years and am a Director so maybe it’s different at the partnership level. Our promotion process is definitely not transparent.
Unfortunately, welcome to the game of life.
Having said that, I did make some great friends at KPMG and still hang out with them despite the 4hr distance now
Yep, me too. And to be clear, my issue is not with the people at KPMG. In fact, some of the best people I’ve ever worked with are there, and I remain friends with many of them. My gripe was primarily with the leadership culture.