Ladies and Gentlemenwould it seem likely that a Manager/Principle Consultant at PA would have achieved a bonus of around 15% last year? I am more than a little sceptical....

In the practice formerly know at BOP (now called POE), a PC with a very high 2 or a low 3 would have got 15% (so would be a median performer or just above). That 15% is quickly diluted by employers NI (taking it down to 13.5%) and the three years deferred element - taking it closer to 10%.Pay rises last year (and this year) were nil.Bonuses likely to be a LOT lower this year in many practices.

Any news on pay deals this year?

Based on prior performance from PA, and the noise coming from the partner group, I would say its somewhere between nada and nil. (Could be zero at a pinch)Don't forget that pay cuts were being mooted not so long ago. Now get back to work

I am curious to know two things:1. What is this obsession people have about discussing PA on here?2. Does anyone really believe the posts people put up any more?

What is the fascination that some people have with slapping down PA threads. If you work in PA you would understand why we need to talk openly about the company. If you don't like these threads - then don't open them.

Forum fan and PA - if that was aimed at us you clearly need to get help with your reading and understanding skills. It wasn't slapping down any threads. None of us work for PA. Your comment about needing to talk openly ignores the fact that most of the posts are (apparently) inaccurate, clearly posted by people rejected by or managed out by PA. When someone in PA gives a positive view of the company the usual whingers wade in saying they must be management. I also suspect there are a number of competitors who take the opportunity to stick the boot in with other companies. The irritating thing is the threads are the same dreary whinges time after time. There is nothing constructive put there. In response to the normal response that people wanting to join a company need a true picture of what the (any) company is like is totally devalued by the nature of the posts that appear.

There an argument that says an organisation gets the level of debate that it earns

Snickers a day - possibly. But the quality of the posts is a reflection on the type of professionals (really hurts typing that word on here) that frequent this forum.

Sorry people if I have inadvertantly kicked something off again about PA. I had a candidate using his existing package in the UK as the benchmark for negotiation on an overseas role. I expressed my surprise when he spoke about bonus and just wanted to see if what he said had any truth to it. No bigger on agenda on PA for you conspiracy theorists out there. It wasn't me....it was the one armed man.....

PA bonus - why weren't you up front about who you are and why you were asking in the first place?

last year there were almost no pay rises, but bonuses were paid. Bonuses depend on your individual performance, the level you are at, and where you sit in the firm.Last year was surprisingly in line with previous areas from my understanding - i.e. 2=20%, 3=30%, 4=40% of base salary. All percentages are gross bonus so before employers taxes, NI, deferred bonus and share purchase schemes. All figures are approx too.

Varies massively by practice. The figures that no axe to grind has identified are from the Government practices, where they have lower bases and higher bonus. For others, such as the practice formerly known as BOP (now POE / Sourcing), you could expect a higher base and bonuses about half that level. NB At PC level, the gross 15% figure translates into about 6% nett once both employers and employees taxes and a huge deferred element have been deducted.

In the interests of providing a complete picture it is also important to note that for the last (2009) bonus round about 20% of the staff scored a "1" and did not receive any bonus.Theoretically the "1" score would have put them in the "underperformer" category, although ordinarily that group would only account for 10% of the staff, and the size of the group was increased to 20% as a way of trying to force headcount reduction.

@ PA BonusGiven the high number of 1s and 2s awarded in 2009, 15% bonus sounds a bit high for PC level in the current trading environment.Why not ask the candidate to prove it? They should have a soft copy of their reward letter that they could show you. It is likely that a future employer will ask to see evidence of current earnings, in any case. I know I had to show PA my latest payslips before I joined.

If 20% of the workforce is under-performing on a '1' score surely that is also an inditement of the firm's management for recruiting such low calibre people isn't it? As a publicly declared ethical company I do not believe that PA would change the goalposts like this just to avoid redundancy, that can't be right, can it?

Why not ask the candidate to prove it?What is this, the X-factor or something? The recruiter is supposed to be brokering a mutually acceptable deal between employer and candidate, not asking 100 questions about the fine detail of his current remuneration so that he can lowball and offer 5% more than some abritrary existing remuneration point paid for doing a different job with a different employer.

Just been told that despite getting a 4 at year end and making MC that I need to be 'realistic when it comes to pay rises and bonuses'.Great! Any similar stories?

PAer - the year end process isn't finished yet so how could you possibly know that?

PAer - the year end process isn't finished yet so how could you possibly know that?

"Just been told that despite getting a 4 at year end and making MC that I need to be 'realistic when it comes to pay rises and bonuses'. "I'd say we will see a lot of this. I'd imagine that, in order to quell the haemorrhage of good staff from PA, that more 3s and 4s will be doled out this year with little or no pay rise. The company will plead poverty, as it has done for the past few years while the partners continue to rake it in.

So lots of 2s and 1s being handed out at the moment. Let's hope the partners are picking up their fair share.Any more news on the likely bonuses?

Don't hold your breath ! Rumour is that they are worse than last year

Last years bonuses were a record high - it obvious they'd be lower this year

A record high last year?! Hee heeBrace yourselves for a record low this year.

Do you idiots really not know we have just had a bit of a financial problem out here in the real world?

But PA is not the real world - it is a UK public sector consultancy with no strategic direction or future

There is the "PA Way" and there is the, er.......well, nothing else in the entire universe. We are always right.