The recent talk about the weakness of PA's FS has me slightly worried. I was recently offered a position as a grad, but i'm now a little dubious whether i should take the job or not. I don't have any other jobs in the pipeline. So i'm just wondering is PA FS, a bad start for grad? What should one expect?

i joined as a grad and left within 6 months. there is high attrition and a clear lack of work. your better off elsewhere. dont make the wrong move and try to rectify things later on.

My main dilemma is that I havent applied anywhere else, besides a niche investment bank (just waiting to hear from them). I'm thinking that if the IB place falls through, would working at PA for a couple of years give me any sort of platform to move into the niche FS sector like,Troika or Capco?(I do have a BSc, and at the end of the summer i will have completed my masters at a top 5 uni in maths & physics.)

I sure wasn't impressed by PA's FS. Came across as being very weak. I think PA's a good company but the FS people simply didn't impress me in the slightest. I just couldn't see myself being 'one of them'. Also I kept picking up on political undertones amongst the staff - not sure if there was anything to it, but it was enough to put a blip on my 'radar'.

To be honest, i agree with your comments, the PA's FS, does come across as being weak. I just saw that as an opportunity to make my mark there. I'm in two minds at the moment. As a graduate, this first step seems SO important but maybe this is an oversight on my part. I was thinking 2-3 years experience there is better then nothing? At with such a weak area, isnt there a chance of greater responsibility?Should there be any questions i should be asking PA directly?

your first move is more important than you think. it will shape your future as emplyers will only employe you as an expereinced hire based on the experience you have do date. Undoubtedly PA will utilise you in their larger area, Public Sector if there aren't any FS projects. Then you will be pigeon holed going forward unless you take another grad role.Why didn't you apply anywhere else? Is it too late?My advice: Ask PA if you can defer your offer for one year, go travelling (do something worthwhile like teaching while your there) and apply again to all the big players.

During the interview process, all the partners did seem rather busy, which lead me to believe that there was work in the pipeline....>Why didn't you apply anywhere else? Is it too >late?My masters took priority over applying for jobs, so i put it on the back burner and applied to a few (Strategy firms, FS, and IB)Got to the final round in a few of the strategy firms, but no offers, on the FS sector it was a little better but i felt PA > ADL. I know PA wont defer, as when i previously mentioned it, it was a no. My main worry is that a job is better then no job. Is PA really that bad, that on my cv it will go against me?