[Willpower]

hi,

I started at one of the big 4 last of October so it’s been 4 months so far. I recently had my performance review and I was told I did not meet expectations. The manager on it had already contacted the resource management and told them to take me out from the team. I honestly don’t know how this happened. I believe I have tried my best. Now I’m really wondering what to do next. I already contacted my counselor to talk about this, but given its busy season I’m probably her last worry. I feel discouraged and defeated. I think I shouldn’t but it is still affecting me. Has anyone gone through something similar ? What did you decided to change/do ?

I’m stressed out but I know that life goes on and there are ups and down. I will definitely do better and won’t give up. Any advice will be welcome.

Passed 4 parts

[Jdn9201]

I'm sorry to hear that willpower. I've never been in public, but I find it hard to believe that your manager would have such an unfavorable opinion of you and this is the first time you are hearing about it. Have you had anything that's happened since you started that hinted at this? I'm not saying he/she is right or wrong – I just think it's very unfair for them to wait until your evaluation to dump this on you. I still think it'd be good if you schedule a follow up meeting to get as much information as to why they rated you that way, and what they think you need to do to improve. If it's constructive, this will help you whether you stay or go somewhere else. If it's not constructive, it will tell you that you need to be looking for another job. Good luck!

BEC - 88 8/29/15
REG - 82 11/14/15
AUD - 83 1/8/16
FAR - 80 2/29/16

[Anonymous]

I've never worked for a large firm, but I have worked for a long time and I have been in management for years. I cant imagine having an employee for 4 months and cutting them (especially since you seem a little caught off guard, so I think you thought you were doing an adequate job).

Did you know what your expectations were and had there been conversations with the manager about your performance? I had worked for a manager who hated me, she was on maternity leave when I was hired on. I was not her “choice” so she told me she didn't like me. She made my life hell! I could not do anything right. Later on when she was fired (for being an awful employee, manager and overall presence) I started to excel and eventually took over her position. My lesson from that situation was that sometimes people just cant work together, some people should not be managers and when you are in a non-combative situation you can do a much better job..

I would ask to see your review and take some lessons away from this. Figure out what improvements you need to make and work on that going forward. My initial thought is that you are probably early in your career and that 4 months is too early to cut people, you need time to learn, adjust. Where will you work now that you are removed from the team? Sorry about your situation.

[FutureCPA8]

@Willpower I am so sorry to hear that! If it's any consolation, my Big 4 experience was not a good one (they gave me a job without knowing if they had a space for me, then embarrassingly called me to apologize), but I haven't personally worked for them so I'm not sure what to tell you in that regard.

I will say that you need to keep trucking….unless the team you are on is trying to push you out *maliciously* (for example, no constructive comments, but rude scoffs). If that's the case, I would look at a more welcoming firm.

Although I don't work for a Big 4, I still work in public, and at the end of the day this isn't the most forgiving field to be in, especially when you are first building your career (I'm going on Year 2). You have to stay level-headed and focus on the end goal…don't beat yourself up! I've made so many mistakes I have lost track, but when my manager gives me notes I make sure to improve.

I hope you feel better! 🙂

FAR - 01/30/2016 - 57,
REG - 02/27/2016 - ?
BEC - 04/30/2016 - ?
AUD - 05/28/2016 - ?

[Willpower]

During my review, they mentioned about how I'm a little slow on understanding the work papers and some other issues* I did hear from someone that this team has very high expectations. I did have a small review before busy season but aside from telling me to be more organized and to take ownership. I don't know how this happened. One thing for sure is that I saw some favoritism but I did not let that bother me…not sure if this is a team issue as I'm not quite like them and we don't share many similarities. May this be a reason ? I'm not even sure..l.i know there are a lot of sucking up. Not to mention that one of the senior kept joking about first years getting fired. I tried to overlook it and tried my best. I may have made mistakes but this was my first busy season…and I have had no experience in audit before

Passed 4 parts

[Anonymous]

I would chalk this up as experience and move on. I really think that your manager wasn't taking ownership of their duty to lead you. Being new to audit you should have more training, input, etc. I would find another team and jump in, learn as much as you can, ask questions, speak up if you need help and ask for feedback on your performance more regularly.

[rp 12]

@Willpower – Congrats on almost getting through your 1st ever busy season… It's not an easy task at all. Am one of the ex big4 Audit Associate from NE region – I was in your shoes as well. After my first busy season I got my feedback from my senior and manager and it wasn't a great review (didn't meet expectations). If I was in your situation today I would start making my resume and see if you you're able to get another job. The reason why I say this is because even though you will be put on to other team there is a high possibility that your are under the HR microscope on how you're doing/performing after your didn't meet expectation review. There will be some sort of pressure in you to try to stay above water and try getting met expectations in all facets of performance review. Am not saying it is impossible, but very challenging. You're likely to be put into Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) which will be put together by your Counselor/Coach and you will be signing it off to officially agree to that plan. If NO improvement is show then you're risking of losing your job (terminated/fired).

I was let go by by first firm, and when I went into another big4 I just lost the motivation from work and studying for CPA exam. So I quit my work started studying again and eventually got a job as an Internal Auditor for a large F50 Insurance Company. Am still pursuing my CPA certification. As you mentioned there will be ups and downs in career. Treat this as a learning exp and just keep looking forward. Am assuming you're still young in your career and this is not a blot in your resume. I agree to certain extent that there're favoritisms, politics, and other things involved when putting a review together… these are things beyond our control and it isn't going to change.

I wish I hadn't stayed at my first firm after getting a bad review, and I should have started to look for another job right away. If I was in your position I would regroup and ask myself these following questions:
a. Is this really for me (big4 firm culture, audit or tax work, etc..)?
b. Do you see yourself working in such environment after getting an initial taste?
c. Should you consider other career options (Internal Audit, Fin Analyst, Staff Acc in industry side, small CPA accounting firm, etc..)?

Also, if you are still thinking of getting your CPA. I would highly recommend moving out of big4… It will be extremely challenging, but not impossible to get your exams done. This is just my experience. I hope this helps you. Wish you the very best!

Sincerely,
rp 12

"Success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure, and loss act only as motivation"

AUD: 68, 62, 77✔ (expires 10/31/16)
FAR: 53, 48, XX (retake 6/16)
REG:
BEC: 53

[Willpower]

Thanks for everyone ‘s inputs. As of right now I feel a bit sad but I don't want to give up yet. It's still early and maybe I can try another team or industry. I always had encountered obstacles and I may cry a few days but life moves on…there's gotta be someone who can think I can improve…that's what I think…maybe I'm too optimistic …who knows …

Thanks everyone for the inputs…this makes me feel I'm not alone

Passed 4 parts

[mrimkhan]

Don't sweat it. First year is always tough. It would be very difficult for you to kill your career, so none of this really matters. I had the same problem you had in my first year at a mid size, so I left the firm to go to a big 4 and I did excellent over there. Sometimes early failure can lead to a drive that will make you successful later on. Nothing to cry about, you will be totally fine as long as you are willing to work hard.

[NotAnother74]

I once got a bad review from a bad engagement team. There were a couple of stalwarts on the team trying to make manager and basically kept everything close to their chests and threw the people underneath them under the bus. It was one client and room to move up was limited because they worked on no other clients. It was totally a screw job and in my review I just had to sit there and take it. You have to know when to make an opportunity out of a crappy situation. I still listened to everything I was supposed to do that I wasn't given an opportunity to do in my review. I took the advice and stepped up to plate. Dust yourself off. Reflect. Hit it hard going forward and fight. 6 months later I got a glowing review and got exceeding expectations. Part of my good review was ability to take ownership and improve drastically. Then I quit. It was perfect.

F AR - 76
B EC - 82
A UD - 77 (lost credit)/Retake 2/25
R EG - 80

[Anonymous]

Get a job in regional or smaller firm..I have no idea why anyone would ever want to do slave labor for a B4

you make a couple extra bucks but work hundreds of more hours and from what ive heard dont get the hands on teaching a smaller firm will give you.

[ruggercpa2b]

I think you can learn and get hands on experience at the Big 4 depending on the team you end u on. Some people are just not good at teaching so it makes it hard to learn. And other people dont want to be bothered so they just rather you not ask questions. And others are great and take the time out to teach you as a first year. The problem with taking the time out to explain this as a senior is that you get no work done when you are at the client, so you have to go home and try to get your assigned areas done. There some great small firms and there are some not so good small firms. The grass isnt always greener on the other side.

I worked at a Big 4 and now work at a regional firm. The hours are the same, however, I lucked out and work with great people. The people you work with do make a difference I think.

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[Pete]

I had a similar experience at a smaller firm. Just last year in June, I was told by the partner of my firm I would be let-go, after working for the firm for 6 months. Mind you, this was without warning. No bad performance review, nothing EVEN HINTING I was doing poorly, just “you're gone because of ‘chemistry.'” I was really unhappy about it, but you just gotta move on, unfortunately as there isn't much you can do about it.

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[KVA]

I working for big 4 for 5 years. Now senior. First year had 4 projects and for one got “not meet”. I received it when have been working only for 6 month and hadn't good knowledge on everything, and senior did not want to teach, just do, and nobody cares how. So, i just was switched to other projects and keep trying to do my best. Maybe in future ask for expectations a senior and say what you can and cannot to do. But, sometimes it happens that you not suited to your bossess style of work. Audit is not a big deal to do and almost everybody can learn how to do it, you just need a good teacher. Keep working.

FAR-87
AUD-96
BEC-76 (2 days after official release)

[Rivens]

i believe this is not an issue of accounting, but rather, of personal resilience.

this is probably your first real job out of school? so you are 22-23?

i think the first lesson here is that you can always improve. just because you did your best, does not mean that's good enough. you're in a very competitive scene, where smart people become relatively average and average people become relatively dumb. do you believe that there's more you could've done? perhaps more inquiries? perhaps asking seniors questions? or maybe even making big4 friends outside the organization to ask for insight?

on the path to personal resilience is the idea that you will be grilled. you will be criticized. the path to promotion requires this. it hurts… i don't think it ever stops hurting… but this is something you will need to sit and take. i'm sure it's on your mind now, because it's recent and maybe you never had enough criticism in your life, but developing thick skin is an important soft skill. just know that if you hang in there, the 2nd critique will hurt less, and the 3rd…. until you are only mildly fazed.

my friend was saying this yesterday: boats can rest safe in harbor, but that is not what boats are meant to do.

Brah u srs
FAR - 85
BEC - 77
AUD - 71 -> 61 -> 71 -> 67
REG - 75

[Anonymous]

big 4 is a frat party “bro.” and looks like you just got your first round of hazing.

their loss, don't worry. unless you can truly look at yourself objectively and say you havent been performing, then you brought this upon yourself. but its probably the former- favoritism, bad team chemistry, seniors unwilling to show the ropes, etc etc. this is your ticket out. not everybody is cut out for slave labor.

note: i am generalizing heavily here, but it seems to apply.. not all big4 is bad, not all offices have a frat party atmosphere. im drawing conclusion from my experience with PWC northeast.

[Author]

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