[cpamom]

I am going to try to shorten my story as much as I can – I am in my late twenties, married, with a newborn, currently in grad school and studying for the cpa exam. I went through college recruiting, attended leadership conferences, received internship offers, and went on with a busy season audit internship with one of the Big 4. Got a FT audit offer and transfered the offer to a diferent office (in April to start next September). In the summer I interned at a F100 company in their corporate tax dept and just now received an offer from there to start in september. This offer is for tax which I like better than audit, better money (but money is not my main deciding factor) 40hours a week with paid overtime if needed. Since I have a child now I want to be more present at home. Should I renege my Big 4 audit offer and accept this offer? Would reneging my offer ruin my reputation? Should I just suck it up and get the B4 experience? Anybody here who is a mom and working as a first year associate in public accounting?

[Painted_Jeans]

@Pork Flavored Bacon those were at EY and as far as i know still no license but making around 75k which is not an associate level. I heard about PwC practices too.. I wouldn't stick my foot in the door without exam passed cuz seems like life would be hell

[ultrarunner]

First of all, congratulations on receiving multiple offers! Please take Big4. You would thank me later. I recently switched from industry. Once you are in Big4, you could go to industry anytime. I know Big4 staffs who got fancy corporate jobs only after working less than 2 years. An opportunity to work for big4 comes only once in a lifetime (campus recruiting). But like everyone says, please make sure to pass some sections of CPAs (if not all 4) before starting a job. Good luck.

FAR 72,67,79 (Roger+Wiley test bank)11/15
AUD 80 (Roger)10/15
BEC 80 (Roger)4/16
REG 63,78 (Roger+Ninja MCQs)5/16

[Painted_Jeans]

@ulrarunner Well i think i wouldn't be the only one to disagree with you regarding working for big4 once in a lifetime opportunity thru campus recruiting. I know for a fact that you can get in as experienced and very experienced even later in life at like 50 years old.

[ultrarunner]

Sorry. What I meant was entry level. If you build a good experience in other public accounting firms or related fields (governments), you could get hired as experienced hires. But it is unlikely that you could get hired as experienced if you have a corporate experience only. At least that's my experience. With my longtime corporate experience, no public accounting firm is willing to hire me until I pursue advanced degree.

FAR 72,67,79 (Roger+Wiley test bank)11/15
AUD 80 (Roger)10/15
BEC 80 (Roger)4/16
REG 63,78 (Roger+Ninja MCQs)5/16

[Painted_Jeans]

@ultrarunner, may i ask you why do you want to switch to public from corporate?

[rahee]

I personally would take the corporate offer…being a new mom and doing your cpa are individually exhausting, so i cant even begin to imagine how tiring it must be to do them together. With the craziness that comes with having a newborn and studying, i think the stability from a corporate job is needed. With a corporate job, you would have stable 40 hours, the option to work from home, and less travel. I completely disagree with other commenters who said that the Big4 is now or never…enjoy your time with your baby and get the cpa out of the way! You're obviously good enough for B4 to give you an offer, so im sure they will give you one in the future! Good luck, and congrats on everything!

[ultrarunner]

@Painted_Jeans, I got that question all the time. Corporate job is good as long as you are young and cheap. Also, if you have public accounting experience and CPA and are able to move up, you will be okay. Without public accounting experience and CPA, you will hit the ceiling quickly. Or you would be lucky if you are not replaced by a younger and cheaper worker in your 30 year work anniversary. For me, I found corporate accounting job quite repetitive and boring. Work and life balance is great in many cases, but you don't have any opportunity to learn new stuff. If you decide to work in corporate accounting, please switch jobs every 3 or 4 years and learn from different jobs and build a good networking. Otherwise, it is hard to survive when you get older.

FAR 72,67,79 (Roger+Wiley test bank)11/15
AUD 80 (Roger)10/15
BEC 80 (Roger)4/16
REG 63,78 (Roger+Ninja MCQs)5/16

[Painted_Jeans]

@ultrarunner I see. Makes sense. I guess i didnt really think that way but you're right, public experience is much more valuable in those regards. Were you able to go into public after corporate? I feel like having corporate accounting experience is also valuable when you go into public because you actually know accounting from the inside really well which i think would eliminate a lot questions when you're auditing a client 🙂

[OTK1995]

If her husband gives her the support she needs in order to work in Big 4 while raising her little one, then a few seasons in Big 4 will be okay. My ex was horrid during my time in public accounting and I am very lucky my parents stepped up to help. I honestly think that Big 4 is something you can't pass up because long term it means financial and career success for you thus your child, and you cannot overlook that.
Good luck OP. I am sure you got this. whichever way you go.

[Author]

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