I don't see why the Big 4 is the "job to have" - Page 2

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    Topic
  • #186060

    So I have been at a Big 4 firm for a year now and I absolutely hate it. It is so incredibly boring, it is so incredibly stressful, and to be completely honest, it is so incredibly pointless. At the end of the day, I just feel like I looked at other people’s creations and I don’t have much to show for it. Everyone seems more interested in audit than I am. At trainings, I couldn’t care less to learn more. I don’t take down notes on how to move up quicker and the ratings don’t matter to me. I just truly don’t care. I don’t mind long hours and I don’t mind hard work, but I have to somewhat enjoy or see a point to my work and I absolutely do not. I feel like this job is truly making me depressed and just not how I see my life going. I care more about having a life full of friends and a happy family with a decent job than being super successful and sacrificing the other areas. I hate not ever knowing what time I am getting off and if I have “that weekend” free. I hate always going to new and different clients because I feel like I am always starting over and I can’t get comfortable.

    I know alot of these items seem to be things that don’t seem like a big deal or might be a plus, but it just truly isn’t a personality fit. In saying that, why is Big 4 such an important job to have. I understand they are prestigous but in the same sense, even if I stayed another year, I basically know how to tick and tie and how to roll forward documents. When looking at requirements for other jobs, I don’t seem to have much valuable experience. Is staying another year really a necessity if I am this miserable and I am basically going to just learn how to tick and tie inventory and fixed assets? I think my time would be much better spent in learning how to put together documents instead of auditing them.

    I don’t want to knock anyone who is in public accounting and loves it. I totally understand having a passion and liking this lifestyle but it is so clearly not for me. Am I committing career suicide by leaving after a year or can I still have a good job by going a different accounting route? (I am a licensed CPA now) Do you regret leaving too early or staying too long? When you look at people to hire, will someone with 2 years of Big 4 beat someone with 4 years of industry experience?

    Thanks fellow ninjas!

    FAR:82
    BEC:75
    REG:77
    AUD:89

Viewing 10 replies - 16 through 25 (of 25 total)
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  • #569020
    Gatorgirl1231
    Participant

    I haven't worked in a Big 4 firm, however I did work in Audit for almost two years. I can say that I absolutely hated it and it was the worst two years of my life. Auditing was just not my thing.

    After leaving that job, I went back to Real Estate Accounting in the private sector. I absolutely love it and have been promoted several times. Working in auditing did help but I am very glad I am no longer doing it.

    Florida Candidate

    AUD: 77
    REG: 86
    FAR: TBD
    BEC: 79 (Expired)

    #569021
    nakeddisco
    Member

    If you're there a year, just give it another year. Two years at a Big 4 will look good on the resume, one year just shows you hated it and jumped ship. Its really better to have it than not. I never did a Big 4 and LOVE my accounting career; I have been working 8 years in a GREAT company, no tax season, no month end close, never work late, tons of vacation. Corporate is the way to go! 🙂

    #569022
    mena je twa
    Member

    naked disco-

    What kind of work you do in accounting that has no month end close? are you in internal audit?

    Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

    #569023
    Fanalyst
    Member

    Corporate Finance is the way to go. Never work more than 40-45 hours, get exposure to just about every department in the company, get schmoozed by fast talking Wall Street bankers every other week, plus you get to utilize your CPA skills with much more interesting work (eg forecasting & business case analysis). Every week is different. Yes, there is still boring cyclical type work but it makes up a much smaller percentage of my responsibilities than most accounting jobs.

    #569024
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    To OP,

    I had exactly the same feeling when I was at Big 4. I talked to my classmates who were at other big 4, we all had the same feeling that what we did everyday was pointless and dreading to wake up every morning to go to work. However, 4 or 5 of us stuck around for 3 to 4 years. We were glad we had that on the resume. It was all about resume building.

    #569025
    number_cruncher_24
    Participant

    I would stick around at least another year or so if you can tolerate it. I know many people feel the way that you do when they first start out as an auditor, but it gets better as they gain more experience and begin to see the whole picture and understood the reasoning behind everything they are doing.

    #569026
    nicole2035
    Member

    I think it gets too much flack, but also too much credit. Most people i know that are successful at one point worked at the Big 4, when they went on about their career path I didn't feel that the big 4 was actually the common denominator. Why would i go through hell for X amount of years to end up a staff accountant in private like some people? I think that's silly, but i do think the big 4 is good for those who really want it. Accounting feeds into this dumb idea that we have to work 60+ hrs a week or else we're lazy. Yet, when averaged out, turn outs your making less than the assistant manager of mcdonalds. Then it feeds this false idea into people's heads that one day we will be making 100k+ as a CFO…probably not. I think no matter what you need to go into something with a goal, and you have to go in with a good attitude wanting to meet people. You can't get into the Big 4 without some planning, so whether you hate it or not, that seems be the common denominator, in my opinion. Why go into the Big 4 without an end goal? of course it'll eat you alive because you have nothing to work towards

    #569027
    Gerg, CPA
    Participant

    it carries the most clout. like when you leave there, people will look at your resume more than someone that has no big 4 experience. but definitely overrated. this coming from someone that has never worked in big 4, mind you

    FAR - 1/26/2012 - PASSED (78, but Lost credit), re-do 11/27/2013 - PASSED (87)!
    AUD - EPIC FAIL, 71, 69; 68; 5/25/2013 - PASSED (85)!
    REG - 10/1/2012 - 72; 7/1/2013 - 73 UGH, 10/1/2013 - PASSED (85)!
    BEC - 2/28/2013 - PASSED (82)!
    Licensed CPA!

    Used Becker self-study materials (just this for FAR original & REG #1), WileyTestBank, NINJA notes/audio, and Roger cram course for AUD #5, REG #3 & FAR reboot. CPA!

    #569028
    pjypjy8520
    Member

    I work at a regional firm and our work/life balance is great. Most importantly, I love the people I work with. That isn't to say we don't have a high turnover. After all, public accounting is public accounting which comes with a great deal of stress. I think it comes down to the people around you in the firm. At bigger firms such as Big 4 and other national firms, it's inevitable you'll run into people that just live to give you stress because you just work with more people. I work with seniors that is from one of the Big 4 and he just hated the people he worked with; they were demeaning and disrespectful. If you come from that kind of work environment, you appreciate the few nice people you work with on your next destination. I will say this that the clients that I deal with have CFO/Controllers/VP of Finances that were all making a great deal of money that have at some point in their lives done the Big 4 route. Now, these individuals are a bit older than I am and maybe that is just the way it was 10-20 years ago and there may be a shift in that school of thought but it still appears that if you want to make it up to the upper level management, you have to do some Big 4 time. Besides, you probably couldn't appreciate the life you have at another company/firm if you didn't go through such ordeal with Big 4.

    #569029
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I did an internship at a Big firm, and hated it, much like you hate the Big 4. I looked straight to corporate when I came out of grad school, and wouldn't go back. I work normal hours, closing is never all that bad, and I'm getting ready to move into a more tax heavy roll.

    I also plan to start applying with Disney in the next year or so, I'll have the experience they are looking for under the belt, and it's a company I've always dreamed of workin gfor.

Viewing 10 replies - 16 through 25 (of 25 total)
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