[Anonymous]

I’ll start:

Pros:

Money

Health Insurance

Other benefits

Room for growth

Good training

Can (relatively) easily go somewhere else after

Cons:

Work many, many hours (at least in the beginning)

Is very big – probably just deal with the people in one’s particular department

[Elaine]

I'd also like to hear about pros/cons about mid-tier firms too!

[Anonymous]

Pros:

It looks good on your resume.

Cons:

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They work you to death

They pay you not even minimum wage (salary divided by hours worked)

They don't know what “work life balance” means.

They don't know what “family” means.

They don't know what “bonus” means.

Oh, and did I forget to mention: They work you to death?

[oneFREAKINGpoint]

Most of the people on your team are young(er). That can be a pro or con depending on who you are.

[Anonymous]

@bobkorz

Are you talking about a big 4, mid-tier, or both?

[Anonymous]

@Acct: I'm talking about the Big 4. There are other firms (non-Big 4) who also have the same exact description, and those who don't, so I can't make a blanket statement. You can tell I'm not applying for Big 4.

[RedRage00]

I just received my license last Friday. Anyway, my experience is in Industry, not public accounting. I had a guy that works in public accounting tell me Saturday that I wasn't good enough because I didn't have public accounting experience…really? The guy doesn't even have his CPA license and he's trying to run his mouth at me. I had to put him in his place lol After that he goes “I didn't mean it like that. I envy you for having your CPA” Way to be a douche dude!

Texas CPA
Licensed, March 2012

[Mayo]

Pros:

Steady promotion and raise in pay

Great network (current big 4, ex big 4, and client contacts)

Get paid to do CPE

CPA exam bonus

CPA exam reimbursement

Public company experience

Access to other service lines is a possibility

Cons:

No work/life balance

Limited potential if not on partner track

Less pay than peers in industry

Small bonus

No stock options

Vacations mean keeping phone on and answering emails

Per hour wage during busy season is less than a fast food employee

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Witchkizzle]

Mid Tier employee here. Someone asked for some insight on this level.

Pros:

Salary is competitive to my friends in Big 4, AND I also get my overtime paid on a straight time rate at my hourly equivalent and a yearly bonus and raise even during downturn.

11 of the 11 partners at this firm are retiring in the next 5-10 year meaning lots of room for growth as they move up the next level of management (for example promoted to Senior after one full time year at Staff, not that it's a huge deal but now I'm definitely making more than my friends still at staff level in Big 4 while they make their Burger King busy season wage)

Tuition reimbursement which totalled over 20k for me over 2.5 years while I was part time staff until I finished my degree

100% paid CPA review (Becker)

CPA exam reimbursements and a raise when you pass all 4

Profit Sharing and 401k match which has historically been approx 6% of your salary

Flexible Hours

First name basis with all employees up to and including CEO who takes an actual interest in your life

Firm pays for and for you to do your CPE

Yearly Bonus

Extremely focused on work/life balance

Dont have to have my phone outside of work at all, I do not send my work emails to my phone

Great health benefits including a firm funded HSA for all employees.

Great diversity of work

Relaxed atmosphere

Cons:

I won't have a Big4 name on my resume when I'm a partner at this firm 🙂

That about sums it up from talking with my friends who went Big4.

Sorry this was so long. I love my job I guess.

Texas CPA
Licensed 03/12

[Anonymous]

@Witchkizzle: That firm sounds great, I wanna work there. Bet it is not in Chicago.

[Anonymous]

I am so confused. Many people have advised me to move to a Big 4, and although I understand why, it seems the cons are very strong. Perhaps it is worth it to just stay in a small place.

[Elaine]

That sounds awesome! I have been thinking about Big 4 vs. Midtier a LOT these days, since I have a second in-office interview with a midtier firm, but Big 4's recruiting season is in fall…

[Anonymous]

Pros of working at a mid-tier firm: Being able to rationalize that it's “just as good' as a Big 4 firm…LOL

Cons of working at a mid-tier firm: You work at Grant Thornton or BDO…

[Witchkizzle]

@bobkorz – It's in Houston, sorry!

Texas CPA
Licensed 03/12

[Whyme]

Big 4 is where it's at. I interned in industry (Fortune 50 company) for 2 years, and every single person in my dept. of more than 70 came from a big 4 firm. From staff all the way up to every director, and even the chief tax officer. Big 4 does have its cons (Long Hours), just as all jobs do, but from a future growth perspective, nothing will catapult your career like big 4 experience.

If you do a quick job engine search for top accounting positions (Manager up to Controller), Big 4 experience is usually always a requirement. I like to think of it as a med student doing their rotations at a hospital. Put in your time, if you like it great, if not your options are endless!!!!

Just sayin.

AUD- 71, 73, 87 Done!!!!!
BEC- 75
FAR- 72, 77
REG- 77

[kandisjoy]

I worked for a regional firm, and now I work in industry.

Pros of regional firm:

Good, steady pay

Take CPE on site at work

Looks good on a resume

Get exposure to both tax and audit

Reimbursement for CPA costs IF you pass within a certain amount of time

Cons of regional firm:

Worked to death!!!

Treated like crap

Had at least 5 different bosses at any given time, all with different preferences (for example, I was told during my first review that I asked too many questions, and during my second review with a different manager, I was told that I didn't ask enough questions)

Politics!!!!!!!! Don't get into public accounting unless you are good at kissing some serious ass.

Travel – When I first started, I thought traveling would be pretty cool. But it gets old really fast. I really missed my pets, my other half, and my friends. And my own bed! I had a really hard time sleeping in hotels. Also, the firm I worked for didn't pay us for the time we spent away from home when we weren't working. I know that's pretty normal, but when you think about the fact that you're sacrificing your entire day, but only getting paid for 10-12 hours of it, it doesn't seem fair. Luckily I was hourly at the time, so I at least got OT for the hours worked.

At my current job, I have all of the pros (even tax and audit, although a different side of it), except for CPE onsite. Although they will fly me across the country to a seminar if I find one that would benefit me for my work, so I think that's actually better. 🙂 I went to San Francisco with my boss about a year ago, and now I'm thinking of going to Vegas… Also, they paid for all of my CPA exams, even when I had to take them mulitple times. And I have none of the cons, except maybe a little bit of politics, which nearly every workplace will have when the company gets to a certain size. I wouldn't go back to public accounting even if they offered me twice the pay of what I'm making now. It just isn't worth it to me.

FAR: 71, 77
BEC: 70, 82
AUD: 62, 78
REG: 71, 68, 85

CA Licensed 11/2011

[Author]

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