Unappreciated and demoralising - Senior Associate - Advisory BDO Employee Review

2.0
5 Jul 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Get to make small talk with clients when you mention you're working at the same building as Atlas bar Many different options of bubble tea near office area Lucky to have close relations and guidance from some seniors and managers.

Cons

Allocation of staff is ridiculous. If you do well, you're one of the top picks when it comes to booking. Schedule gets jam packed for the next 4-6 months, meanwhile under performing staff of the same position as you gets to skive and has that same few months without any bookings. You're literally working hard so you can earn money for their salary. Even when serving notice, schedule was packed until the last working day while others were happily sitting in office and asking you why are you still on fieldwork. Promotions are seemingly not linked to performance appraisals, but based on how desperate they are to retain staff. Team was going through quite a bit of turnover, having lost some very experienced seniors. Colleague got promoted only having worked for 5-6 months (also fresh grad) and clearly not prepared for the role, didn't even go through a face to face talk with appraiser. Zero office culture. Even after close to 2 years, if someone asks me how it's like, there is nothing to be said. Feedback channels are close to non-existent, comments given are simply swept under the rug as " it's the same with the big 4". You're just another employee that can be easily replaced.

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5.0
27 May 2026
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Pros

Work life balance and range of opportunities

Cons

Tools available and total pay

2.0
5 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There actually are great people, but you play manager roulette.

Cons

BDO is notorious for promoting people who just never leave. The middle of the road, not great, not awful, people get promoted over and over again. There have been changes every 3 seconds since the ESOP. Terrible communication around change (non-existent). My manager's favorite term was "We are building the plane as we fly it". After 4 years, I was hoping to have more plane built. It was never built.

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