Name:  Karen
Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Accounting
Joined PwC 1997

Senior Manager

In her mid-twenties, Karen decided she wanted more from her accounting career. “I found in some organisations you only got ahead because you’d been there long enough.” It was time to find somewhere that recognised ability.

“Joining PwC was a really positive career experience for me. So much so, in fact, that I wanted to make it equally positive for other new starters. For the last four years I’ve been heavily involved in graduate recruitment, running skills sessions at local universities, coaching placement students, helping facilitate induction events and generally making sure people settle in and start to develop as quickly as possible. I’m still benefiting from all kinds of support myself – including that of PwC’s Parents Network which I joined just recently – so it’s only fair I return the favour. ”Important as her career is though, Karen never wanted it to compromise her personal life. “Outside work I’m into yoga and Ayurveda, which is about keeping body and mind in harmony for a healthy life. Balance is essential in lots of ways. For example, when I was studying for Membership of the Institute of Internal Auditors I had to juggle work and study. And after coming back from maternity leave, I had to make sure I was delivering results at work while also devoting enough time to my son. But PwC have always been supportive and respectful of my having a life and commitments outside work.”