I interviewed with Grant Thornton at an office in the southeast. I received an offer for a summer internship with GT, whom I really liked. As I was trying to decide which offer to accept, I spoke with one of the managers at GT. I had interviewed in the office with him and spoken with him for a long time at the pre-interview social. When I asked him for some advice regarding my situation, he made a great point that I hadn't considered.
He told me – I'm paraphrasing here – “By the time you begin your internship here, about 10-15 percent of the people currently in this office will be gone. By the time you start full-time, another 10-15 percent will have left. If you stay here six years like me, chances are good that almost all of the people you really liked when interviewed will have taken jobs elsewhere. Liking the people and liking the culture are separate things. Focus on the culture, because it lasts longer. Culture endures.”
He also suggested that I consider where I want my career to be in five years. If working with a given firm is compatible with that vision and I liked the culture, I'd probably be happy working for that firm.
In the end, I accepted a full time position with Deloitte in the same city. I probably should have seen it coming, but less than a month later, the GT manager accepted a controller position with one of his former clients. Funny how that worked out.
Bottom line, choose based on culture and how well the company fits your career goals.
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