Pros
-Good place for new CPA's to start their career, regardless of whether they want to stay in public accounting long-term or not -Work with smart, hard-working, and friendly people for the most part -Training and skills development is emphasized through formal training seminars and on-the-job training; you really learn a lot in your first few years and are constantly being challenged. As an in-charge, the supervisory and project ownership skills you learn are invaluable, as it is rare to get that type of responsibility anywhere else so early in your career -Great internship program in which interns are treated like first-year staff and given a level of responsibility and independence to complete tasks on their own, with strong support/training from fellow staff and in-charges -If and when you leave the firm, Plante Moran is recognized as one of the best accounting firms in Michigan and the Midwest in general, so numerous opportunities exist to individuals leaving the firm, especially those with in-charge/manager experience (get that in-charge experience if you can before leaving). I can't speak to the reputation outside the Midwest though.
Cons
-The firm primarily works with privately held businesses that have calendar year ends. Therefore, the opportunity to work on commercial/for-profit engagements in various industries year-round is limited. These engagements primarily occur during busy season from January through April, as well as November and December for interim/pre-audit fieldwork (so about 6 months total in commercial/for-profit work per year). The remainder of the year is typically spent working on government, not-for-profit, school district, college, and employee benefit plan engagements, among other non-commercial industries. If you don't feel comfortable having half your year spent on those types of engagements, then I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere. -If you get stuck with a buddy and/or team partner that is not very concerned with your career development, engagement schedule, or just you in general, it can be detrimental to your long-term potential with the firm. Unfortunately there is not much you can do with that one, as it is very difficult to change either during your time at the firm. -Networking within your office and other offices in the region you are in is very important. As scheduling becomes very political the higher up you go, it is important to have in-charges/managers/partners that know you and will vouch for you on their engagements when staffing decisions are made. Connected individuals get full schedules. Don’t let people fool you, everyone knows why certain people are stuck in the office for weeks on end with nothing to do, and it’s typically not because they aren’t capable of doing the job right. -If you screw up in any way at the firm (late project, difficulty with a client, poor relationship with an in-charge/manager, etc.) and it makes it into your performance review, it is incredibly difficult to come back from, especially the higher you move up. Plante Moran does not have room for people who make mistakes, and you will get a black mark on your record that makes it difficult for further advancement at the firm. It could also impact your engagement schedule (word spreads quick for people who slip up). -Compensation/benefits could be improved, especially with the low 401(k) match that is currently offered by the firm. Also, staff and in-charges are not eligible for performance bonuses until their third year with the firm, which is ridiculous. First-year staff should be immediately bonus-eligible, even if it is a reduced bonus until the third year full-time.
