Accenture

1. Work with your project counterparts from across the world. A good learning experience.

2. Good number of IT projects across domains, skill-sets, and industries. However, the concentration of projects may be limited to a few locations (with scarcity of development projects in Delhi NCR).

3. A pleasure to see projects spending on parties and ad-hoc festive celebrations (rarity across Indian IT companies).

4. Good annual appraisal-cum-financial benefits (25% yearly hikes for me for two years).

5. Learning is dependent on the project one works for.

6. Given the size and scale of the organization in India, one could develop employee networks that may be useful outside Accenture.

7. Free company transport. Option to raise ad-hoc cabs (or reimbursements of OLA, UBER expenses) if extending outside one's working hours.

8. Satisfactory in-house but outsourced food vendors.

9. Electronically submit supporting documents for Income Tax returns.

10. Access to good quality e-learning courseware.

11. Good brand name for MBA, GRE, and GMAT aspirants.

12. Discreet WFH policy!

1. "Project is GOD". Your stay at Accenture is dependent on your relationships with supervisors, managers, and senior management/leadership. They may "make or break" your career.

2. If you routinely "boot-lick" your manager's shoes, you should be assured of a comfortable stay at Accenture.

3. Onsite opportunities may depend on the project and your relationships.

4. Your appraisals are dependent on your "fate". If in good terms with project leads, expect hefty hikes/onsite opportunities. A good amount of politics is played while promotions are decided.

5. No "employee-driven" committees at Accenture. Instead, they have given contracts to third-party vendors for everything – transport, workplace, meals, etc. – and this is managed by workplace managers. Hence, expect lower standards, accountability, and options for grievance redressal in these areas. It may take even a month for a workstation to be allocated to you.

6. HR is not seen around while you are working on a project (except during the onset of performance review activities). There is no option for an employee to give 360-degree feedback (yes, a few anonymous surveys are conducted, but they are for case studies).

7. "Foxy managers" may still give you a PIP. Shedding of annual performance review cycles is a hoax and an eyewash.

8. No cultural activity is conducted at an Accenture level in any of its premises. There is an absence of quizzing and debating clubs. The groups are within a limited domain of a project and are sponsored by it (nothing at the organizational level).

9. Be ready to relocate if you remain locked into a project for some time. A few project refusals and you are out of the company.

10. "Regionalism" is on a higher side in the southern part of India, and a "Yes Sir/Yes Mam" culture prevails in Northern India.

11. Groupism is a norm in this company!

12. I have seen people with 8+ years of experience working as a Software Engineer (SE). And people with 4.5 years of experience working on the profile of a Team Lead (TL)! Similarly, an SE may earn more than a TL here.

The cons mentioned above are for the India location and may be observed in other companies as well. However, they could still be noticed across Accenture offices around the world (personal experience).

An advice to everyone else: Make friends and be in good terms with everyone at Accenture. Learn, grow (or move out), and always stay happy and blessed!