100 Best Companies to work for - Fortune Magazine

[myCAsite]

Fortune Magazine has published their annual list of the 100 best companies to work for. The highest ranking public accounting firm was Ernst & Young (#44), followed by Deloitte (#70), PricewaterhouseCoopers (#71), and KPMG (#88). Interestingly, another audit firm, Plante & Moran, came it at #66. Links are as follows:

Top 100 list: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/full_list/
EY: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/44.html
Deloitte: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/70.html
PwC: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/71.html
KPMG: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/88.html
P&M: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/66.html

Very little is disclosed in terms of how these rankings were determined, however, it seems like the emphasis was primarily on HR policies and pay, as opposed to actually surveying employees, which might be the best way to gauge preference. Also, this list seems exclusive to large employers, thereby neglecting mid-sized or smaller firms. As a student/young CA evaluating potential career prospects, I wouldn't put too much stock in this (or any) employer rankings. But, it is something to consider.

I find it more interesting to compare how different professional service industries rank versus one another. A number of consulting firms & law firms (i.e. Boston Consulting Group - 8, Booz Allen Hamilton - 52, Bingham - 12, Alston & Bird - 30), scored higher. Perhaps there is something accounting firms can learn from these companies?

[doubled]

Haven't gone through in detail... but if your analysis of how they ranked the companies is correct (i.e. HR policies and pay) then it makes sense that companies like BCG would rank higher than accounting firms. Pay is generally better (with similar hours), based on what I've heard from friends in consulting.

[myCAsite]

Consulting firms benefit from two things that accounting/legal firms don't:

(i) Consulting firms/partners are not burdened by the insurance premiums that accountants/lawyers are

(ii) Consulting firms are extremely 'lax' when it comes to accepting engagements recognized as conflicts of interest between different clients. For example, it is very common an office to do work for competitors provided they set up an 'internal firewall of confidentiality.' Also, there are no independence requirements between consultants and their clients.

Of course, the Partnership path at an accounting/legal firm tends to be a little more accelerated than in consulting. Whereas most associates have to go back to get their MBA to become consultants or case-leaders, the training of CAs/LLBs is on-the-job.