Vantaggi
I have met some intelligent and talented people. PA is great at lip service regarding diversity and gender.
Svantaggi
PA’s culture is all about self interest and greed. Consultants are often sent on assignment with little support and do not have regular contact with assignment managers. If the client has issues with the PA’s work, it is junior staff who are blamed and a lot of gaslighting happens. As a seasoned professional, I was undervalued for my experience and offered a salary on the low end because I lacked the consulting experience. This didn’t stop them from asking for my network and insight! I found out later that a male colleague with similar experience was offered £7k more than me. My advice to interviewees: do your research - salaries are different according to who interviews you and how they perceive you (sorry to say young females get a rough ride). Bullying is rife. Partners and MCs only want to line their pockets. I was told at my interview that “everyone is nice at PA”. Obviously there is no such place. What it really means is that they are sneaky and underhanded with their practices and don’t mean what they say! Their bonus is not guaranteed and similar to the Big Four - they hand it out to few people in their club. Mental health is not a priority.