[justgivemea75]

Hi all,

I’ve started working for a big 4 about 6 months ago, and having gone through a busy season, I’m honestly starting to feel really old/awkward at the Big 4. I’m only a first year, but most of the people in my start class are 22/23. I made a mistake coming out of undergrad of trying to go for a job and didn’t apply to grad school simultaneously. As a result, I basically set myself back a year since I just took up a temp job within a finance department. It’s even more embarrassing when seniors/managers ask me why I’m so much older and I have to say that it’s essentially because I couldn’t find a job right away and didn’t think to have a backup plan. It was a stupid mistake, but I was young at the time and had too much confidence in myself despite the shaky market.

I had one especially embarrassing encounter relating to this at a team dinner and now I’m kind of starting to worry about my future prospects. I’m hoping to one day be a director or controller of a company, and I’m wondering if people will always consider me too old relative to my peers. On the other hand, I tend to over-think things a lot and am wondering if maybe I’m reading into this too much.

Does anyone have advice on this?

Thanks!

FAR - 84
AUD - 76 (phew)
BEC - 88
REG - 77

DONE!

[thelawnwranglers]

So you are a year older than your peers?

Who cares you are getting big 4 experience? At the end of the day 9 years into your career or 10 depending on how you look at it no one will know the difference. Heck in 2 or 3 years no one will know the difference. If anything it is inappropriate for them to ask, and they probably feel stupid asking you to go get coffee like they should.

[Anonymous]

I'm in a same spot as you, I'm a Staff and there's Seniors who are either my age or younger. So far I haven't really felt there's been an issue with age, they treat me with respect and I try not to overthink about the age difference, like the lawnwranglers said above, in a couple years the whole age thing won't really matter. So yea I've picked up dinner for the team a few times, but whatever gets me out of the conference room for a few minutes so I'll take it.

That or maybe its because I've been interviewing to get out of Big 4 so maybe that's why I don't really care.

Either way – don't sweat it, nobody thinks twice about it.

[MydnightDarkfyre]

I am a first year staff at Big 4…and I'm 42. I win 😀

Seriously, your age is just a number. I know 24 year olds that act way more mature than some 35 year olds I know.

I have never received anything but respect from my peers. Plus they understand since I am a career switcher, I have a wealth of prior knowledge and experience.

I don't see how your age could “hold you back” in the future. Big 4 is pretty much setup to be staff for 2 years, senior for the next 3, and so on…your age doesn't determine your promotion status.

FAR: 82 (Becker) 07/09/2014
AUD: 80 (Becker) 10/01/2014
BEC: 76 (Becker) 11/26/2014
REG: 82 (Becker) 02/16/2015

GA Licensed CPA 8/7/2015

CISA: 564 (PASSED) 6/11/2016 - Certification pending

[Anonymous]

When i started at Big4 I was 24 as well. I was never made to feel awkward. If anything you should be using it to your advantage – you should related more to your Senior,etc.

Do not over think it. It is small potatoes.

[fuzyfro89]

I don't know how your office is so young!

When I started, 6 months before turning 23, I was definitely on the younger end of most of my start class. Most people had done an extra year while I finished my credits with an extra semester, so it was the exception to be done early rather than the norm.

Are you in advisory or something else where most people don't have a master's or 5th year of extra credits? Hard to imagine most people being younger than 23…

[Anonymous]

I started at the age of 33. I assure you that your age is a non-factor.

[justgivemea75]

@fuzy: Nope, I'm in assurance. I'm at one of the firm's biggest offices nationally, however. As such, I think we hire a large batch of people from various schools, most of whom are 23 having done a masters. After 1 year, most of them get churned and burned, so we repeat the process yearly, making our office quite young. Heck, there are even a fair amount of gunners who do the 5th year within 4, and as such are all 22.

That's why I feel awkward sometimes, especially having worked for a year haha. It helps in some ways because I understand the reality of working more than some of these younger kids and didn't come in as starry-eyed looking to save the world one audit at a time.

FAR - 84
AUD - 76 (phew)
BEC - 88
REG - 77

DONE!

[ScarletKnightCPA]

People who were hired straight from under grad would be 23 now. People who did 5th year masters would be 24 now. I don't see why you feel old. I think that what your feeling is not something about your age, it's about not working there straight out of college.

Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

MBA in progress

[acamp]

Am I in a twilight zone thread (what's the twilight zone, shaddup)?

A year or two older and you're concerned about being WAY older and perceived differently?! Further, with that WHOLE year of experience under your belt you're now qualified to make statements like “I understand the reality of working more than some of these younger kids…” LOL

YOU-ARE-TWENTY-FOUR-THE-AGE-THING-IS-IN-YOUR-HEAD.

Has anyone asked, “So, what did you do before you started with FimX?” If not, you are not old. (That question is code for, why are you old? I'm sure MydnightDarkfyre and CPA33 know what I'm talking about, ha!)

*I started Big4 when I was 29, married and had a kid, I was as old as dirt in comparison to my 22-24 year old peers; however it did not hinder my performance and acceptance within the firm, not one bit–you pave that on your own.

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

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[y_u_no_pass]

Haha! If someone thinks 24 is too old they are too young.

Florida CPA!
Took final exam 2/25/15.
Sent in Application 3/12/15.
Issued License 3/20/15.
Used CPA Excel solely for all exams.

[Susan Walker]

You have nothing to worry about – coming from the opposite side of the spectrum – I'm a 24 y/o Senior at a Big4 in market facing position – I feel that I get some push for being so young sometimes. I think there will always be a ‘you're too young / you're too old' thought, but who really cares over a couple of years? Do you job and do your job well and nobody should be on your case about anything!

FAR: 69 (10/2012), 70 (4/2015), July 2015
BEC: May 2015
REG: August 2015
AUD: November 2015

[Anonymous]

Is this post a troll? you feel too old for your company being 1yr older than the average first year. This has to be troll…

[Anonymous]

@MydnightDarkfyre

May I ask are you fresh graduate? I am almost 30 and has been out of school for 2 years, is there still a chance to get into big 4?

[Skynet]

Look, you got nothing to worry about. If the 50+ yrs female Partners are checking you out, you are in great shape. Just play your role with the female Partners, and you will become a Senior Citizen Partner, I mean Senior Partner, in no time ; )

[wannabeCPA123]

I started at the BIG 4 when I was 30. I am a senior now. I am definitely not the oldest person in my start class from what I can tell. There were 4 people in the 35-45 year old range.

My firm is trying to really push for inclusiveness. As such, I think that the old age discrimination practices of the past are beginning to fade away.

Thing is, I know many people with kids who would rather work 15 hours everyday than actually see their kids and spend time with their kids. I don't get, and I feel bad for the kids.

They neglect their families just so they can get a “good” annual review.

FAR 78
REG 87
BEC 78
AUD 78
Passed all exams on first try! Good luck to everyone!

[Author]

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