Question for professionals at PwC! What is your favorite part of your job and what is the most challenging part?
What is your favorite part about your job? What is the most challenging part of your job? How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals? Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry? How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
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23 answers
Charity’s Answer
What is your favorite part about your job?
There are many things I like about my job, for example, providing advice on the types of experiences that would enable the person’s growth. Another one that comes to mind is driving best practices that create a positive experience for our people.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Working in a professional services firm certainly comes with it’s own challenges. As a human capital professional, I get to engage with a wide range of staff and clients each day. As we work with our clients, both internal and external, it is necessary for us to be agile and flexible not only to their needs but the needs of their business. Our clients have expectations that we be ahead of the industry and provide our expertise, knowledge and skills so developing relationships quickly and understanding those expectations can be challenging. But it can also be rewarding when we successfully complete a project or engagement and satisfy their expectations but better grow ourselves.
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals?
There are many challenging yet rewarding aspects our roles in Human Capital. For example, it can be difficult to accept limitations to how much you can do to help support others as they have to want it, be willing to work for it, and be agile with changes that happen along the way that may be out of their control. The rewarding aspect comes from knowing you’ve helped someone find or follow their passion, build a positive brand for themselves, and begin their career path in a successful manner.
Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry?
I am very happy and satisfied with my job as well as the industry that I’m in. Some factors include: 1. Passion for area of focus 2. Good working relationships with colleagues 3. Work-life balance 4. Firm values 5. Diversity and inclusion 6. Learning and career development. 7. Challenging work assignments, initiatives and projects.
How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
PwC’s Purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. Working in Human Capital allows me to work with a diverse population of people who have various professional needs. In my role, I am able to work with these individuals to develop and empower them to grow as professionals. This allows us to cultivate a diverse pool of talent that can contribute to society not only within our industry but in their respective communities.
Bridgette’s Answer
My favorite part of my day is that every day is different with different projects and team members.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is with multiple projects occurring at the same time, I sometimes struggle with managing the multiple moving parts. I find that creating a to do list helps manage this.
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals?
I feel that my team lets me achieve my goals to the fullest with becoming a CPA while working full time as well as my passion to help the community.
How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
I am on the service committee at work which helps plans events as well as raise funds for organizations that help the society. I am also part of a organization outside of work that I donate my time to.
Hope this helps!
Joey’s Answer
- My favorite part of my job is definitely working with such great people. In auditing, teamwork is a big part of having a successful stretch of work so getting along with your coworkers and having time to just joke around and not focus too much on work is important in keeping up the quality of your work as well as your overall happiness level!
- The most challenging times are times I put on myself, which are times where I have a problem that I need to solve but I want to solve all on my own. Sometimes it's easy to just ask a superior about your problem and get it solved immediately, but that's no way to truly learn. I like to work out the problem on my own as best I can and then approach my superior with my thought-out solution. If it's wrong, that's no big deal, but putting in the effort is sometimes more important that finding the quick easy answer so you can move on as quick as possible.
Nicole’s Answer
Hi Madeline! I would say my favorite part of my job are all of the people I work with. I am in our Risk Assurance practice in Cleveland and everyone knows each other. Basically everyone in risk assurance has worked with each other, which is a great way to create relationships with everyone in the practice. The people I work honestly are the best and I enjoy working with them everyday.
I think the most challenging thing can be working on multiple projects at the same time, especially in risk assurance as you can be working on 1-4 jobs at the same time. I have worked on writing things down more so I know what I need to work on and create a plan for the day of everything I need to get done. Trying to stay organized is the key way to help be productive during a busy time period.
As for career goals, I have voiced them from the beginning and local leadership has been willing to work with me to get me on the projects I have wanted to help me grow as a professional. They have been behind me all the way and are always pushing me to be the best version of myself and I have learned so much since I have been here.
In the Cleveland office, we try to give back whenever possible! I have been fortunate to be able to mentor a college student who is the first student in her family to go to college, raise money for local educational charities, and teach financial literacy classes for students. We try to give back as much as we can, whether that is monetary or our time.
Jennifer Friedberg
Jennifer’s Answer
I love this question and I think everyone has different opinions!
What is your favorite part about your job?
I am in advisory - my favorite part of my job is that my projects and teams are constantly changing. I always find myself working with great people and have been lucky to work for really great clients!
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Same as my favorite! Since my teams are always changing, there is always an adjustment period to get used to the new team structure, different management and working styles, etc.
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals?
I think since day one at PwC, I have been able to voice my career goals and partners have been supportive every step of the way. Right now I feel I am in the right place with the right support system. I can't imagine working elsewhere.
Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry?
I definitely do not feel like I am saving lives, but I do help my clients on a daily basis.
How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
I think others mentioned above, but PwC puts a great amount of time and money into encouraging their staff to give back to their community. It is acceptable to take hours or a day away from your client in order to volunteer in the community. I try to fit in volunteer through initiatives at work and through local initiatives like New York Cares.
Grant’s Answer
Hi Madeline,
I just started at PwC in September, so hopefully my answers here are relatable.
What is your favorite part about your job? - My favorite part is the young atmosphere and energy of the firm. The majority of the firm sits with first years through senior associates (fourth - sixth years), most of which are in their twenties/low thirties. This creates a really fun, energetic culture, at least in Portland.
What is the most challenging part of your job? - The most challenging part is the travel. For Portland, you will primarily be traveling along the West coast and within the Northwest specifically. However, it's tolerable and can be even be enjoyable at times to get out of Portland.
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals? - I feel like I am learning a ton in my job and that PwC will set me up very well for the future. It's very busy and challenging, but overall I am enjoying it!
Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry? - I would say this isn't really applicable to me, unless you consider public accounting "finance". They're a bit different, so it's worth looking into the differences between the two and seeing which one you would prefer.
How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do? - I contribute to the better whole of society by protecting investors. Additionally, I am involved in volunteer events to improve the local community.
Rae’s Answer
Hi Madeline - I'm a Tax Manager at PwC and have been with the firm for 5 years. My experience has been varied at the firm and I've had the opportunity to travel for work to NYC for a secondment. I worked in the NYC office for 8 months and learned a lot of new technical concepts and built my network.
I think the best part about working at PwC is the networks you form with your colleagues and clients. With any position there are challenges, however leveraging the firm network results in getting our client's the best information. Tight deadlines always pose a challenge when we are working on a rush job, however the team is always helpful!
Rae recommends the following next steps:
sara’s Answer
The second aspect of the job that makes it completely worthwhile is working with the clients. This also unfortunately is another luck of the draw situation, but in general, you will be communicating on a regular basis with some of the highest people in the company, which is an invaluable learning opportunity. It is not unusual to have the CFO of the company in the audit room striking up conversations and sharing personal stories with the auditors (even the interns are exposed to this). I personally, as a second year, communicate with the CFO of my client on a daily basis and have learned more from him than any other individual in my career. It is an opportunity that you are unlikely to experience in any other job.
Simeon’s Answer
It's been fun learning so much and seeing so much of the city that I live in. I feel like being at this job has really opened my horizons.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The work-life balance is the hardest part of the job for me. It's a bit of an unspoken rule that you work as long as the rest of the team stays on site, which can lead to entire teams staying much longer than they need to. Plus, socializing is an unspoken part of the work, so there's a lot of pressure to keep doing the job in different ways off the clock, so it can become a bit of a time black hole.
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals?
I'm thankful for all the doors that are open to me being in the big 4. Almost any path I could desire to take is well within reach, which is hard to quantify, but you notice after you've been here a little while. It's just a matter of what price you're willing to pay personally to achieve those goals.
Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry?
I wouldn't say the financial industry/audit is a job one feels "satisfied" in, but I love that I'm able to provide for my family with this position. We have a lot of flexibility and PwC offers its employees a wide variety of benefits beyond the salary.
How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
Mostly through protecting the investors with our work. PwC is also pretty outspoken about making a positive impact in the community through it's giving and service initiatives.
Minaz’s Answer
Hi Madeline, great questions!
What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part is the people I work with. I have a really supportive team and enjoy working with them!
What is the most challenging part of your job?
I work on projects where I am relying on third parties (not my clients) to provide information to me. It is challenging to keep them engaged and be responsive. Following up with them regularly helps.
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals?
Becoming a CPA and working at PwC have been two of the best decisions I have made for my career. Both are extremely well recognized and highly valued in the accounting industry and amongst clients.
Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry?
Absolutely! I have worked in other industries but I did not feel as satisfied as I do now.
How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
PwC invests a lot of resources (time and money) in giving back to society and I am grateful to be a part of it. E.g. I am part of a volunteer team (through Compass) that works on consulting projects for non-profit organizations such as CARIE. We are currently developing a funding strategy for CARIE.
Jeany’s Answer
My favorite part of my job is that there is infinite learning opportunities. We serve a variety of clients across a variety of industries, size, and issues. You can always find something in the job to better yourself to either advance in the company or use it as a stepping stone whether it be technical accounting, audit or control topics, learning how to manage projects, coaching and mentoring people, dealing with different types of personalities, communication, or upskilling yourself with new technologies.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
See above -- it's challenging because you have to keep up with the ever changing environment!
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals?
It's a challenge just like any other job. Each day and week you will have your good days and bad days but overall I recognize that my job provides me the salary, challenges, security and meaning that most people in the world, especially in today's environment doesn't have -- so I am honestly grateful about my job and career goals.
Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry? How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
I will answer these two together because I feel they are interrelated as least for me. I am satisfied with the aspects of my life in that it gives me tremendous job security and financial independence as well as intellectual challenges. I do sometimes feel like the job doesn't matter in the grand scheme of the world, particularly recently as we have identified the true "essential workers" of society - who cares about auditing or accounting as compared to doctors, nurses, teachers, scientists, etc. However, as I was once told by a wise partner I worked for, as long as you contribute the most you can based on your skills to society, you can contribute in other ways. I would make a terrible doctor/nurse (eew, blood). So I contribute by making money beyond how much I need in life and donate it to organizations who will do with it what I cannot based on their skills to society. I also volunteer during my free time.
Tanya’s Answer
Tori’s Answer
My favorite part of PwC is getting to work with really smart people from all different cultures and backgrounds. My most challenging part is trying to transfer offices within PwC.
Haoyuan’s Answer
My favorite part to work at PwC is get to work with a great team! The people I work with are very smart and supportive when you need. They help you grow both professionally and personally . Here in PwC, you can boost your technical skills really fast. The firm provides you with so many resources and a great platform and you can do lots of self-learning from your expertise filed to technology tools.
The challenging part of the work is that it can get pretty complex based on your client situation. I work at tax practice. The tax regulations change constantly. So it requires you to keep up-to-date of your technical knowledge and at the same to to apply these new contents to your current work. So I think to be able to quickly adapt to the new things /issues and be critically thinking how to apply this to your client is a challenging section but the same time it's the most interesting part too!
Martin Olivier Boiteau
Martin Olivier’s Answer
Work with great people
solve complex issues
Cynthia’s Answer
I am currently an associate at PwC Middle east in the Deals line of service. I can say that my favorite part of my job is the exposure to so many different industries and projects and the opportunity to work with really talented and smart professionals.
The challenging part would be that sometimes the work might be tough and require lots of research and dedication
William’s Answer
I work in tax accounting myself. My favorite part of my job is the learning and critical thinking that is required by it. The amount of taxes a company owes only ends up being one item on a company's financial statement, but a ton of things factor into reaching that number. When building our workpapers, it almost feels like solving a puzzle which I find interesting.
The most challenging part of the job can be the deadlines. We can do our jobs perfectly, but still can't control when our clients give us their supporting documents. Sometimes we receive client information soon before their return needs to be filed and it creates a time crunch. This means occasional long hours which can be challenging. However, this is all offset by other times of the year being relatively slow, and generally enjoying what I do.
Stephanie’s Answer
What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part of my job is the people and the fact that it is always changing! I work in Risk Assurance in Boston and I work on a variety of jobs at one time. Whether I work remotely, travel across the country to be on a client site, or work within the office it's always a different experience.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Definitely the work-life balance. Starting at the firm can be overwhelming with the amount of hours needed to be worked and the amount of work that needs to be done in such short amount of times. However, at PwC we stress the option of flexibility and having the opportunity to be vocal about making a workout class or working remotely on a Friday. Communication is very important here!
How do you honestly feel about your job and your career goals?
I feel like the room for growth at PwC is awesome. The opportunitites are there as long as you put in the work on your end to pursue them. Everything you need to succeed is at PwC. There are vast opportunities to learn more or get the next certification. You have a career coach and relationship leader who are both there to guide you along the path that you want. Whether it be in your current line of service or understanding the steps taken to get to the line of service you want to be in.
Do you feel satisfied in your life being in the finance industry?
Yes! I think this industry is rewarding in many ways. There will always be a need for the work that we do at PwC and it's an industry that is challenging which can always be rewarding.
How do you contribute to the better whole of society working the job you do?
In addition to helping my clients with their issues, there are also so many opportunities here to give back to the community. Volunteer opportunities are everywhere within PwC. Again, it is all about what you make of it.
Mahmoud’s Answer
I'd say my favorite part of being part of PwC is that there is always an opportunity to learn or improve a new skill!
With the tools available at hand and the firm going digital to keep up with the technology advancement around us, you always get a chance to develop.
The most challenging part, is that you're always expected to deliver the services on a short timeline without sacrificing the quality, it's a challenge I personally enjoy.
Nicholas’s Answer
I am currently a Senior Associate at PwC, in the Digital Risk Solutions practice, supporting audit engagements from a digital perspective. My favorite part of my job is the fact that I am constantly challenged, and given the opportunity to grow and improve as a working professional. The team that I am a part of is very supporting of my growth, and provides me with the resources I need to succeed in the workplace.
The most challenging part of my job is, as many people have mentioned in this chain, the work-life balance. However, there are methods and strategies to follow in order to assist with work-life balance, including setting boundaries and working hours (and ensuring that these are actually followed). Having conversations with your firm-provided career coach is also important, as they are your biggest advocate, and want to help you to succeed.
I hope this helps - good luck with your career journey!
Aneree’s Answer
Ewelina’s Answer
I worked for this company for 9 years with the audit team under SPA. The advantages of working for this company are as follows:
- changing teams and managers, depending on the project, which provides experience with a different management style.
PWC has the biggest portfolio among the big 4, which helps to gain experience in dealing and meeting with many big multinational companies and have a huge network of contacts. Besides you also gain different industry experience and see different kinds of business processes, which allows you to adopt to any type of a company when you decide to change your career or to move to another company.
- training and development opportunities during the entire career.
The challenges are:
- it is more suitable for new graduates;
- you have to travel a lot;
- overtime;
- salary can be not competitive;
- high turn around ratio
Hope that help in your decision.
Char’s Answer
My favorite part of my job is that I am able to work in a team environment and that I am able to build relationships internally at my firm as well as client relationships. The most challenging part of my job is keeping up with the ever changing business environment since everything is going digital and automation heavy. On top of doing my day-today tasks and projects, I need to keep my knowledge and skills up to date! The studying never ends! I enjoy the work that I do because it is constantly challenging me and giving me opportunities to work and better myself. There are times that I feel like being in accounting/finance isn't for me but I also love it at the same time. Every company needs accounting/finance and I can use my skills anywhere I go! I think it is important to find a firm or company that gives you an abundance of opportunities to give back to the community is some way shape of form if that is important to you. You're asking the right questions so you are on the right track. Good luck!