Help!!Should I drop Towers Watson for PwC Consulting

I worked for PwC audit for about 2 years, then switched to Towers Watson as en executive compensation consultant(from analyst to associate consultant, 1y). Now PwC consulting has offered me a position of Senior Associate Year 2 role with their people and change team(more or less HR consulting but with heavy exposure to HR due diligence/ HR Transaction services )
My immediate goal is to go for a TOP 15 MBA in 2014 fall, should I go or should I stay? Many thanks !!!!

PwC Consulting
Pros:
1) bigger brand, 30%+ pay increase and a better title
2) possible to make assistant manager by August 2013
3) rebuilding their consulting practice, fast growing
4) a broader exposure to a variety of service offerings
Cons:
1) less reputable as a consulting firm, lack of methodology?
2) More compliance and process driven?
3) Team mostly composed of experienced hires from competitors, team culture/politics might be an issue?
4) Too quick to move if apply in 2013?

Towers Watson
Pros:
1) More recognized in HR consulting especially as a leader in executive compensation
2) Manager is good and count on me
3) Client profile all big names
4) More consistency if apply MBA in 2013
Cons:
1) Specialized niche consulting firm? Too narrow?
2) Pay increase lower than PwC and subject to global financial performance(slow growth compared to PwC)
3) Lower in the hierarchy than PwC and must deal with politics to climb up
4) Financial burden for MBA a bit heavier

 

a lot more people from PwC to MBA than Towers Watson to MBA. You can make the argument that you are "setting yourself apart" from other candidates with Towers Watson on your resume, but I think you are already setting yourself apart with your HR consulting experience. Movign to PwC won't show inconsistency, it will show progression from a MBA admissions point of view. It is also pretty obvious your pros for PwC FAR outweigh your cons for PwC and pros or TW.

just my $0.02.

 

I would say PwC as well but if you're getting great experience at Tower, and leading a lot of projects, I could see the argument for staying, especially since you want to pursue your MBA in a year or so. I'm not sure what you'll be able to accomplish in that one year at PwC since you're still new and won't be as established within the firm.

That's the only risk I would see is that you're experiences/stories that you would use in PwC might not be as good as what you'll get at Tower since you're well established there

Hugo
 
Best Response

Regarding one of your concerns (lack of methodology) - PwC has an established Global Methodology called Transform. It is designed around integrating lines of services for large scale business transformations. It allows teams from Operations, Technology, People & Change and Strategy groups to integrate (somewhat seamlessly) when dispatched to these large projects.

Additionally it is often used in some form to drive project planning and execution through the phases even if you're just working in one stream. Part of the training you will receive is called at PwC Issues Based Problem Solving, which is the same as "Hypothesis Based Problem Solving" written about in "The McKinsey Way."

That being said, I work for a former Towers Watson person and she is brilliant. Good luck with your choice.

TT

 

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