[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I am a staff 1 at a big 4. I have been here for about 8 months and I am slowly but surely getting fed up with the nonsense that has become the big 4 culture. My problem with it is being mainly on one client that is known as the problem client from my office.The vast majority of the original team is gone (left for industry). I am tired of being the one looked at for all the tasks that the seniors or the managers don’t want to do. I am all for putting in your time but there is no appreciation for anything that staff 1’s do (getting dinner for the team, printing hundreds of pages for the managers etc.) I also feel like so much of the big 4 is focused on control work that actual accounting is not there so much anymore. during busy season and quarters we easily work 80+ hours and at times it feels like the audit room is like a morgue (all business, talking to one another is frowned upon). overall, I feel like the big 4 culture is what it is and I basically am tired of it. I no longer have any time to relax or study for the cpa exam. I apologize for this coming off as complaining, as I don’t intend it to. My question to all of you is, has anyone else at the big 4 felt like this? did you move to a small firm or go to industry? its frustrating because the stress that comes from my job doesn’t really have to be there. And just to add a disclaimer to all the students looking at the big 4, it is not always like this. I think it really depends on the client you get put on. I know many people who love their job at the big 4.

[Mayo]

” If a year goes by and nothing has changed, switch to another Big 4″

I always wonder how people do this. I mean, what do you tell the recruiter a Big 4 #2?

PWC > KPMG? I see myself as an orange and red person rather than a blue person? It's like everyone at my firm is a Vampire, and I'm a werewolf?

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[acamp]

^I don't think they care. I get emails and calls on the regular from other Big4 recruiters; maybe I'll stop in for an offer letter that I can bring to my next comp discussion >=)

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[acamp]

^I don't think they care. I get emails and calls on the regular from other Big4 recruiters; maybe I'll stop in for an offer letter that I can bring to my next comp discussion >=)

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[Mayo]

Haha you might have a point. I get those same emails.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Mayo]

Haha you might have a point. I get those same emails.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[fuzyfro89]

It's probably mostly a function of that office's experienced hiring needs, but they are typically fairly high for experienced staff and seniors. It likely gets tougher at the manager level.

At that point the interview isn't the “xx is the greatest firm ever and I bleed yellow/purple/red/etc”. It's about them finding big 4 experienced talent that doesn't want to go to industry yet.

[fuzyfro89]

It's probably mostly a function of that office's experienced hiring needs, but they are typically fairly high for experienced staff and seniors. It likely gets tougher at the manager level.

At that point the interview isn't the “xx is the greatest firm ever and I bleed yellow/purple/red/etc”. It's about them finding big 4 experienced talent that doesn't want to go to industry yet.

[Author]

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