You work long, hard hours for all of the perks given. The salaries, especially for entry-to-mid-level positions, is not comparable to what you could be earning elsewhere. In Accounting, the hours are long year-round. If you are one of the select few who gets promoted, then you'll most likely continue to rise to the top of the organization and receive much better compensation. But again, it's a 24/7 job--blackberries, laptops, and e-mail access from your home never allow you to "turn off" from work. In my opinion, consolidated finance is going in too many different directions at once. It's unavoidable based upon the financial structure of the company, but it's a warning toward anyone looking to work here. E-mails will flow into your mailbox around the clock. Excellent organization, prioritzation techniques, and 100% focus are absolutely critical in this environment. The pride of being part of the "elite" is going to have to be sufficient to keep you motivated. Knowledge and technical ability may not lead to a promotion; favortism is still an issue here. This is not the area to work in if you desire a work/life balance.