If you are hired as an experienced professional, then it doesn't matter what you did previously, you will be put on whatever engagement is available across the advisory business and that can be anywhere in the UK/abroad on short notice for long periods of time. It usually works out as a horrible game of pass the parcel, so make sure you have a good reason ready to try and avoid it being you
If you do not have a Partner who will back you up, you are at the mercy of the resourcing staff.
When you are parachuted into a completely new subject area, if you succeed, then it's EY's success, if you struggle then it's you the individual who is to blame.
If you try and avoid that situation, you are called 'inflexible' and placed onto a Performance Improvement Plan 'to improve your consulting skills' i.e. the art of winging it when you don't know the subject area.
If you try and tell your Counsellor or Pod Director you are in the wrong team as you are being put on engagements that are not relevant to your experience, then you will be reassured and then ignored. See previous paragraph.
Team mates/colleagues will point blank ignore you before and after you have served a specific purpose that benefits them. Be ready for plenty of awkward lift rides.
As such, there is next to no team spirit. EY have recognised this by trying to assign each other 'buddies' and 'family trees' forcing people to try and become friends with each other.
Your half year and year end reviews happen in a meeting you are not invited to. The scores you collate from your peers are rejected and your actual performance is decided by people who have next to nothing to do with you.
I didn't actually learn anything new about my subject area during my time with EY. I solely relied upon my previous knowledge (when it was even relevant to my work).
Cheaper to eat outside as the canteen has no price reductions.
