Pricewaterhouse Coopers Canada  (PwC)

http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/campus-recruiting/

Silvia Gomes

GTA Campus Recruitment Manager
Downtown Office – Audit and Assurance Group

Hello! My name is Silvia Gomes and it is a pleasure to introduce myself as the GTA Campus Recruitment Manager for the Audit and Assurance Group (AAG) at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). I began my career with PwC in 2004 as a summer student, and joined full time in 2005 after graduating from the Schulich School of Business at York University. I have taken full advantage of PwC’s non-specialization option and have worked on a variety of clients within a variety of industries, including manufacturing, financial services, serving as a recruiting champion, interviewer and two years ago on a secondment as a Recruitment Senior. I have also taken full advantage of PwC’s flexible time away program! Last summer, I took time off to travel and to work with street children in Brazil. In May 2009, I took on the role of GTA Campus Recruitment Manager while also continuing to maintain two of my clients. Over the past 5 years, I have had many other opportunities within PwC including working in tax pool, teaching learning and development courses and participating in various committees, including IFRS Champion committee for the Asset Management Practice. I have had an extremely enriching and rewarding career with PwC thus far and I am very excited to discuss my experiences with you in more detail. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight to you, by reference to our Take the Lead campaign, some of the things that make PwC a great place to work!

Vision – Where do you want to go? Responsible leadership in business and the community.

PwC has been a prominent leader in the accounting industry, with over 100 years of doing business in Canada.  We are committed to upholding the highest standards of the accounting profession and ensuring its integrity.  Many of the partners and staff within our firm have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to the accounting profession.  Equally as important to business leadership is the role we play in the community.  In 2004, the PwC Canada Foundation (Foundation) was initiated as a way to make a positive, lasting impression in the community.  The Foundation gives all employees an opportunity to participate in team volunteering events, such as assisting with building homes for low income families and reading books to children in hospitals.  Last year, my colleagues and I participated in a volunteer event at a women’s shelter.  Having an opportunity to personally touch the lives of these women left us with an incredible sense of pride and accomplishment.  In addition to these volunteer activities, the Foundation also recognizes outstanding employee volunteer efforts by providing leadership grants to the community organizations that our employees volunteer with.

Ability – What does work mean to you? Continuous training and ongoing learning through experience. 

One of the hallmarks of PwC is the training we provide. Upon joining PwC, new recruits attend a two week orientation program called Assurance 1 where they participate in an audit simulation.  The goal of Assurance 1 is to equip new staff with the skills necessary to be successful in their first year at PwC.  In addition, new staff receive extensive training for the CKE, SOA and UFE exams to ensure that they have the knowledge and resource material necessary to succeed on these exams.  However, training does not end here because at PwC learning is a continuous experience.  All staff leading up to the manager level attend regular development team meetings where they discuss relevant audit concepts in small groups.  All practice staff, including partners, attend ongoing industry specific training.  In addition, leadership training programs such as Genesis Park bring together top performers from different countries, staff levels and lines of service to address business-related issues currently affecting our profession and our firm.  In addition to this classroom training, PwC believes that some of the best training is obtained through practical experience.  As such, PwC actively supports employees who are interested in working in other parts of the world through our EPIC (Early PwC International Challenge) Program.  Short-term assignments, such as the one I look part in to New York, usually take place for several months at a time, while long-term assignments can be anywhere in the range of two to three years.  In the past, PwC employees have enjoyed work experiences all over the world, including the United States, Russia, South Africa, Colombia, Bermuda, England and Australia, to name just a few!
  
Commitment – What inspires you? Commitment to our clients and our people.

PwC is committed to providing expert client services.  Our broad client base, ranging from Financial Post 500 multinational corporations to growing private companies, is evidence of the depth of experience within our practice and the ability of our staff to provide services to all type of organizations, small and large.  This commitment to our clients also extends to our people.  PwC is committed to the development of its people and to establishing lifelong relationships with all employees.  Without the right people, providing excellent client service becomes next to impossible.  All new staff members are paired with a coach, who is available to answer the questions they may have, act on their behalf during our annual performance review process and to be their mentor at the firm.  This mentoring continues at all stages of one’s career, from Associate level to Partner.   The firm is also focused on ensuring that all employees achieve a balance between work and their personal life.  Initiatives such as our summer time off program (STOP) and flexible Fridays throughout the summer give employees a chance to travel and take additional time off to pursue personal interests.

Relationships – Who do you want to be? Empowerment of employees and a culture of collaboration. 

This attribute is largely a function of the above three.  At PwC, we foster a culture of collaboration.  Examples of this include close knit audit teams, the many social events within the firm, the United Way campaign, local office environmental committees and team volunteering activities.  These initiatives aim to bring employees together and empower them to contribute to and participate in team success.

 I hope you have found this article to be informative and I look forward to meeting you at the information session and the various other recruiting events this fall!

 

My name is Sheetal Gupta and I am a Campus Recruitment Senior for the Audit and Assurance Group (AAG) at PwC. I began my career with PwC in September 2008 as a full time associate after graduating from the Richard Ivey School of Business. I successfully passed the Uniform Final Examination (UFE) in 2009 and will be obtaining my CA designation this October. Since joining the firm I’ve worked on clients in different industries, including real estate, IT and mutual funds. I have had the opportunity to be a UFE Mentor, member of the Tower Committee, and member of a PwC soccer team. I am also excited about my new role as a “PwC Rockstar” being one of the six faces of PwC’s brand new recruiting campaign.

When I’m not at work I like to travel, volunteer, dance and spend time with my family in my home town of Niagara Falls.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my various experiences with PwC over the past 3 years. PwC has a very approachable culture – everyone is friendly, down-to-earth and hard-working. I have developed life-long friendships here.  PwC has a commitment to help you succeed by providing each person with a coach, mentor, and various other opportunities to connect with like-minded people such as through team socials, summer fun day, rookie night, etc…

I look forward to the upcoming recruiting season and sharing more experiences with you as well as hearing about yours!

 

My Name is Melanie Ayer and I am pleased to introduce myself as the Recruitment Specialist for the Audit and Assurance Group (AAG) at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).  I began my career at PwC in January 2008 at our Downtown Office as part of the GTA Campus Recruitment team.
Prior to working at PwC I graduated from the University of Guelph with an Honours degree in Studio Arts with a minor in Art History.  I then completed a one year program at Humber College where I obtained my Human Resource Management Certification and went on to pass the HR National Knowledge Exam in October 2009. 
During my time at PwC, I have had a variety of excellent opportunities, including working and planning the summer student program, developing new recruiting programs such as the Experience Program for second year University students and organizing new recruiting events such as our 2011 PwC National Conference – Creating Brilliant Futures .  My role has also allowed me to work on our National Recruiting Campaign while working with people across different lines of services and offices. I have also been involved in Foundation volunteer days and other firm recruiting activities.
I sincerely look forward to meeting all of you during the upcoming recruiting process!