Big 4 vs In-house (GI)
What do people think are the pros and cons of consulting (Big 4) vs working in industry (e.g Lloyds Syndicates)?
Specifically wrt to <5YOE.
My View:
Big 4 Pros:
- Variety of work
- Clear promotion structure
- Brand name (exit opportunities)
- Faster paced, lots of exposure early (- work hours)
- Usually generous study allowances
Edit: - Good social events with young workforce
Big 4 Cons:
- Working hours (long!)
- Lower base & bonus (considerably lower)
- Heavy performance monitoring / peer comparison
- Study time 2nd in line after Work (sometimes)
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Industry Pros:
- Working hours (fewer & more stable)
- Higher base & bonus
- Long term work-life balance without moving firm
- Better work-life balance = more study time
Industry Cons:
- Narrower exposure (somewhat pigeon holed?)
- Fewer exit opportunities to different roles/firms
Would love to hear thoughts, no wrong answers. This is a conversation that comes up regularly, so thought there might be interest in other views.