[Montiel68]

Hi!

I’m leaving the firm I’m working at in public accounting. Short story: I’m not getting promoted because they don’t think I’m ready for a senior role. So I’m looking for other jobs in either industry or public. I started applying for jobs in industry first, but haven’t had any luck. Everyone wants professionals with 3-7+ years of experience with financial/accounting, and I only have 2 yrs. in tax.

However; I think I’m still wanted in public (or so I hope). So, would you recommend going to a Big 4 firm or going to smaller firm, like top 30? The firm I’m at right now is on the top 10. I want to keep growing professionally and develop further, but I just don’t know what is best right now. I’m starting to think I just need 2 more years of pubic on my resume for industry jobs to take me seriously. Any thought? Do you think going to smaller is going backwards? Or would Big 4 be more beneficial in the long run?

Any feedback is appreciated!

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[Montiel68]

Bump

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[Recked]

No big firm experience here, but from reading management articles from top partners in large firms… It sounds like you are not ready for a senior role yet. if you jump ship for a senior position they will anticipate that you will be more advanced than you are. This will lead to you either struggling to keep up, or ultimately getting fired when you can't hack it.

I would urge you to stay at your current firm if they are working with you to teach you and help you develop your skills and progress. Give it another year, make a dilligent effort to learn and expand your skills.
Have you asked them how much longer it would take to make senior? Or are they firing you because it's an up or out situation?

Have you passed the CPA exam? Are you licensed?

[Montiel68]

Hey Recked thanks for your input. I'm leaving because they'll fire me if I don't. Here you move up or you're out. So I'll put my 2 weeks notice as soon as I land another job or before our round tables.

I'm a CPA, but that hasn't helped on my search for industry jobs. I guess I'll give public jobs a try. See what's available out there

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[Anonymous]

I'd suggest you figure out what area of accounting you'd like to work at, and go do it. Alternatively, if you aren't sure what you want to do, figure out what areas of accounting you don't currently like, and go try something else. Don't just do the same shit at a different firm.

I started my career in a somewhat similar situation as you. I started in Big Four audit and didn't like it. As a result of this, my work at that time of my career was not great and I wasn't promoted to manager because of it. I decided at that moment that audit wasn't for me, and I needed to try something else, which just ended up being tax. I moved on to a small firm, and the switch is the best career move I've made. Now I'm a tax manager at a family office and really enjoy it. If I can figure it out, I'm confident you can.

[lizardh7]

I had a similar thing happened to me, I was a at a Big 4 to start, and didn't get promoted to senior after two years and it was basically you need to go now. Move up or get out. Anyways, I interviewed in both industry and another public accounting firm that I had gotten an offer at after college, but turned it down to go Big 4. I decided staying in public was best for me as I felt like I didn't learn as much as I needed to my first two years. I stayed for almost 2 years, and got promoted to senior. I left recently to go into industry. You'll be fine either way. Good Luck!

[Author]

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