[madmax49]

Hi Guys,

I’m sort of bummed out and need to vent and ask questions. I accepted a Seasonal Audit position at PwC and we were told that if we work hard, there would be chances to get a permanent offer. I have a foreign degree and foreign experience and came to the US not too long ago and I was excited to be hired by PwC. There were a lot of guys in my interview sessions who did not get hired even for the Seasonal position so I was sure that I had a good chance. I worked with full dedication, staying as late as they wanted and my work was efficient, I did ask questions if I did not understand things but my work was good quality and I was given compliments more than a few times about being quick and efficient. A lot of guys who were hired for the Seasonal position are here on a student visa and they all got full time permanent offers, most of them are hard working folks except 1 guy who stays on the phone all day long, comes in late, takes extra breaks and he got offered a full time 3 weeks before the end of contract. I asked of feedback when I did not get offered and I was told that I was seen using the phone which I only use minimal for texting family and was told that I should advise the management when I want to use the phone and I was told that I ask too many questions even though my work is good quality. I stopped asking questions, did all good work on my own and was released from the contract today. I heard that most other guys who were in my training class got an extension even if they did not receive a full time offer, I feel sad that I’m being thrown out this way. I feel like someone in the team has something against me but I know my work is good and I was fully dedicated. I feel like they just made up reasons to do this to me. Why do you guys think this happened?

[Missy]

It really doesn't matter why, just move on. Think of it like dating, even if you feel you did everything perfectly you'll never know how the other person perceived you. It simply wasn't a good fit. Going forward don't mention things like someone else talking on the phone more than you, it's not relevant.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Biff-1955-Tannen]

I think they saw you on your phone when you should have been working
Not trying to be a dick, but I think that's what it boils down to.
Perception is reality. They must have seen you whenever you were on your phone and so it looked like you were always on it.

AUD - 93
BEC - 83
FAR - 83
REG - 84

Nobody calls me chicken

AUD 93 Jan 16
BEC 83 Feb 16
FAR 83 Apr 16
REG 84 May 16

99% Ninja MCQ only

[Yaz88]

I am sorry to hear that!! yeah big 4 politics and environment is harsh, I have known people who slacked but because they sweet talk their managers they would get their way, and i have seen hard working dedicated employees being neglected.. I have worked in the big 4 so I know what I am talking about.. As the others say, move on, you will have plenty of opportunities ahead of you.

Just keep in mind that politics in the big 4 is sometimes more important… Anyone who disagrees is either blind, inexperienced, or benefiting from it.

[madmax49]

I never actually mentioned to the management that the person was always on the phone, I just observed him. That person was actually the first from our training class to get a negative feedback, he was called in by our manager and was told he's always late. Things turned around when 2 other managers joined our team, their team and ours became one and one of the female senior managers always favor him. He's known to be fooling around with one of the senior ladies who's on her way to become a manager. I'm not really mad about anyone else being offered because they worked hard and do work good, I'm really mad that they chose that guy because he barely works. He's slow and I always have to pick up the slack, I'm pretty sure that I was released due to one of the senior female managers, she doesn't like me because I never really talk to her at all maybe and she once saw me on the phone. I just feel that I should've been given a bit of leeway keeping my good performance in mind, and dedication to work. I feel like one of those guys gets his way out no matter what he does, every day every keeps looking for him and he's away from his desk.

I totally understand that they found me on the phone, which I used minimally and only during time when there was no work meaning I had finished up everything. I feel that they should've called me to let me know just like they did with the other guy, I only was told this when I asked for feedback this very last week and they always gave me Kudos before that. I almost felt they conspired against me because the day I raised the question of whether I will get an offer or not, the very next day everyone started giving me hard time. I did not even blame anyone, I took the feedback constructively but the way they started acting all of the sudden was so odd.

I'm not the kind of person who sweet talks to manager but I guess that's what I need to do, I just give everyone a lot of respect.

[Yaz88]

^^^ and thats why my friend, the realists never stay in big 4 for long

[madmax49]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I was just really disappointed because I gave in all I could and was hoping to build my career at PwC. I am not from here and my degree and prior 2 year experience is from outside the states so I was hoping that if I work hard they will keep me.

@Yaz88
Do you know if Big4 will hire someone with a foreign Bachelors degree for an Associate level position?

[madmax49]

I have applied to CBIZ, McGladrey, BDO and KPMH. KPMG rejected right away and I did not get a response from anywhere else.

[Yaz88]

can you send a pm to me? I tried messaging you privately but the option isn't there…and to answer your question, yes. But it's hard, and it will be much harder if you're here on a visa

[madmax49]

I am permanent resident which makes me feel worse because most people who got offered were on a student visa and most people said they have a harder time securing offers. I am going to PM you. When we started, most colleagues said that the folks on student visa will be let go so we have a better chance, the opposite happened. All 3 got offers on my team were on student visa, a lot of student visa people got offers on other teams too, a few people who're from here did too. People on other teams who did not get an offer got their contract extended, it's funny because they just posted another seasonal position for the same office. It makes me feel someone really does not like me, one of our senior managers who is a female fired someone who was on a seasonal too.

[madmax49]

Why can't I PM, there is no option. I don't think it is available here anymore.

[taxsage]

The average performer with the good personality always gets the job over the good performer with the bad personality.

[FIFOisbetterthanLIFO]

What @taxsage said. Life isn't fair. Human nature is human nature and you have to deal with it anywhere you go. Personally, be thankful to be out of the oppressive Big4 environment. Many are huge douches and far less talented than they think.

FAR - Passed (82)
BEC - Passed (76)
AUD - Passed (89)
REG - Passed! (81)
AICPA Ethics

Licensed CPA

[madmax49]

I feel like I have a PwC hangover lol. I feel bitter to be honest, I put in 15 hours when I had to and worked 6 days a week. I dressed the best, everyone complimented my dressing and me smelling good and I made sure that I put the best image forward. I'm not a kiss a** but I'm not an introvert, I got a long with everyone on the team very well. I did not talk much with the two managers who joined later on because they never dealt with me and I thought I had to deal with the same manager who I had all along. However, I just realized that one of the new managers is a senior manager and possibly the acting manager. She goes around talking to the folks she wants and she never ever spoke to me, I greeted her just like I greet all others. I think it's more than just that, I have a good personality.

I never good any negative feedback until the day I asked about my contract, after that all of the sudden next day a file that I worked on for 10 hours went missing from a shared folder and I have never ever left without saving my work. I never reported it or told anyone; I was shocked but started working on it and finished it as soon as I got to work, is it a coincident that a manager who never spoke to me called me up with my computer to see that very template? I honestly feel as if I was set up because she had never even spoken to me let alone check my work. The only problem I ever had was when a co worker kept calling me out when I first started, he was rude and yelled at me practically so I let my manager know about him. He was later moved to another team but I heard that many people had an issue with that guy, I doubt that they could have that against me. This guy I had an issue with though does hang out with the director who interviewed me (common religion, I'm the same religion too), the director is a really nice guy and he even said once the busy season ends we should get together so I never thought he would create any issues and I still don't just throwing it out because it's a part of my sob story.

They had to pick 1 from every training class, and I was the only one from our training class besides the other guy who takes breaks and is always chilling. I honestly feel they tried to make me look bad to cover up that he got offered full time, even though he was not that great. It's not a personality, he's more than just a kiss a** and his performance is below average. The guy got negative feedback constantly until the two managers joined the team and he became overly frank. Infact, he came up to all worried telling me how he got negative feedback about being late too often.

I wonder if it's worth trying a different position or a different PwC location.

[Son]

madmax49, I agree with mla – you should move on. I don't know you and you're just a stranger on the internet, so take the following with a grain of salt because it might sound harsh. But I've spent some time now working and training new hires at another Big4, and the only person who knows if you did a good job – more so, better job than someone else – is your supervisor. I've worked with very talented kids who look and act like slackers, but do more than most – in less time. At your level, especially in a Big4, it is very hard to tell whether you're doing a good job or if you truly suck and people are just being nice to you because this one time you did manage to do a half-decent job. I had an intern who was terrible, and no one dared to tell him anything because people just didn't want to be d$cks about it and interns are supposed to make stupid mistakes (now and then though, not all the time). So they gave him quite a few chances, and then just refrained from any harsh comments since it made no sense to invest in a person who wouldn't be hired.

Next, you tend to concentrate a lot on personal details. Who was flirting with whom or came in late doesn't affect your offer or lack of it in any way. If you do a good job and are a good fit you'll be hired. If you do a decent job but are a terrible fit, you won't get hired. If you do a poor job but are a good fit you might get hired. Based on my personal experience, it's as simple as that.

Find a place where you fit and that values your contribution; that will make both you and your future employer a lot happier.

AUD - passed
REG - passed
BEC - passed
FAR - passed

[madmax49]

@Yaz88
Thanks for your input and help but I cannot PM you here, I read that this forum took OFF the PM option some time ago. If you want and have time, you can email me at ritzy786@gmail.com. Thanks

[Author]

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