[Anonymous]

Just curious,

What position/salary to expect after working in Big Four with 2-4 years experience?

Would someone get paid more because of the big four experience that moved to industry compared to someone with 2-4 of actual industry experience?

[Gatorbates]

I don't think so. But I do think you'd be a “more appealing candidate” with Big 4 experience (if deciding between to different candidates). Just my opinion.

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[ImaCPA168]

Depends…

2-3 years – Typically Senior. Senior Accountant, Senior Analyst. Senior…something. Sometimes 2 years esperience will indicate to a hiring company that though you got the senior title, you haven't actually seniored an engagement. So it's is up to you and your recruiter to play your experience up and position you properly.

4 – Depening on how you play your cards, you can make the leap to Manager. Granted the hiring company is willing to take a chance and give out a manager title to someone who hasn't made manager yet in their current employement situation. I was hired by a client after almost 4 years at Big 4. So I was a senior. But I got a manager position when I made the move because the client was already comfortable wtih my level of work.

Salaries are dictated by market rates. The only discrepancies I've seen where people are being paid below market rates are typically people I call “home grown”. Meaning they worked at the same company since college and have never left. Typically these people are paid lower than market rates either because their experience is so specific to their function/company that it's hard for them to find employement elsewhere, or they never got certifications/advanced degrees, or they are just too scared/lazy/comfortable to look around and ask for the proper market salary. I'm sure there are other reasons as well but those are the big ones that come to mind. If you're a home grown person, don't worry, this doesn't apply to every one. It really depends on your performance and company culture.

Typically if you move around, it doesn't matter if it is from public to private or private to private, you will be getting market rates at the time you move. However, note that market rates for public positions are usually a little lower than market rates for private positions. So many who move from public to private experience the biggest salary increase at that time (aside from promotions). And the increase is most notable for those with 2-4 years experience because after you've been in public for 5+ years… your salary starts to catch up with private salaries.

So if you make the jump from public to private and got a hefty salary bump, it's not because you're being paid more because of Big 4 experience. Don't get me wrong, the Big 4 experience makes you SO MUCH more marketable. But the bump you're experiencing is likely just the difference between market rates between public and private. It's a double whammy.

B - 83 Done
A - 88 Done
R - 81 Done
F - 77 Done

Ethics - Done
Attest Hours - Done

Licensed-May 2013!

[mena je twa]

ImaCPA…

I have about 6 yrs of private accounting experience and right after passing the CPA exam, i joined public accounting. Top 7 firm globally.

If i put in 1 busy season and leave, how would i be perceived by future employers? Or you think i should try to go for 2 busy season atleast?

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[gobias]

@menage a trois, put yourself in their shoes: how would you view a candidate that bailed after one busy season at their last job?

I know I'd be concerned that they'd do it again.

F - 86
R - 90
A - 97
B - 91

[ImaCPA168]

mena je twa…

I agree with gobias. Leaving any company after only one year will be questioned by the next company that is considering to hire you.

May I ask what position you are starting at in the public accounting firm you joined? What is the timeline to the next promotion? I ask because that can help you decide. If you are hired as a manager, and it takes two years to make senior manager, then it would be prudent to put in two years. You'd get the higher title and you won't be questioned for doing such a short stint at that firm when you apply else where. If you're hired as a senior and you can make manager within 2 years, I'd definitely stay to get that promotion. The senior-manager jump is bigger (to me) than manager to senior manager in terms of the kind of jobs you can get after you leave public.

If you only really intend to do one year. Then this is my advice to you. When the next employer asks…be honest…but put the best possible spin on it. Something like “Well, I've been doing private accounting for 6 years and always felt there was something missing in my experience/career. And I knew I needed to go public to grow so I decided to do that for a year and I worked really hard that year to acquire all these additional skills (list them). My goal was never to stay and make a career in public so after I acquired the skills, I'm looking to go private again.” This way, it looks like you're a forward thinker who had a goal and was able to acheive it. And it won't negatively impact you as much and make it seem like you “can't hang” in the fast public accounting environment, you don't have the work ethic to put in the hours, you're a quitter, you have no loyalty…etc. You can always point them to the other parts of your resume where you stayed with a company for several years as well.

B - 83 Done
A - 88 Done
R - 81 Done
F - 77 Done

Ethics - Done
Attest Hours - Done

Licensed-May 2013!

[mena je twa]

I was hired as a senior year 1 auditor. I worked in industry for 6 years, first job ever…. not a hopper at all.

My company went bankrupt, so i decided to try out public. I am not trying to be negative, but i am experiencing public vs private the hard way. Sitting in one small conference room, ear plugs on, work till 9pm, even come on saturdays. I dont know how long i can take this.

Everything is measured by time, speed, every 2 hrs , ” is this done” “Does this tie”. But thanks for your input, i will see out this year, but will think really hard about next busy season, if i want to continue this dog & pony show.

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[smp73]

@ mena je twa: I “lasted” only 18 months in public. When I interviewed for the job I have now (private) I was completely honest about why I wanted to leave. I needed a better work life balance where I also feel like I added value to the firm/company/university.

If it really is not the thing for you be up front and honest about it with potential employers and give it a positive spin, like was said above.

NYS CPA License # 113563
CIA: Done as of 2/15/14

Training for a half marathon post studying!

[mena je twa]

SMP….

From the very 1st day on a new client, we are behind…The partners underbid it to get the business, and sway away the competition.

Then here comes the grinders for 2-3 weeks… Slogging it out, working like dogs, undertstaffed, and always behind the 8 ball.

I understand people have done that in the past, and will continue doing it, by sometimes you needf to pause and re-think.

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[ImaCPA168]

mena je twa…

You're a senior 1. Is it safe to say that manager is 3 years away?

Honestly, I really enjoyed it when I was in public. We worked hard — I always worked past midnight and on weekends during busy season. I've worked plenty days til 4AM. I've had friends work 36 hours straight to meet deadlines. But we played REALLY hard, too, and I really enjoyed the company of my colleagues and all the business contacts I made. I did 4 years. Good times. Sometimes I wished I did more. I ended up leaving because I came to a cross-roads in my life. It was a difficult choice for me but I'm happy in private now, too. However, I always look back at my time in public very fondly.

I know public is tough and there is no work-life-balance at times. Sometimes your scraping for billable hours. Most of the time you're “Slogging it out, working like dogs, understaffed, and always behind the 8 ball.” But meeting deadlines despite those challenges is one of the reasons that some employers want to hire ex-public people. They know what they're getting. Now that I'm in a position to make hiring decisions, I have to say that there was an occasion when I crumpled up and threw out a resume when I saw the person only lasted 4 months in public.

The advice I give to people who cannot get into the public accounting life style is: “You're already here. It is hard for some to even get their foot in the door. Take a nice long vacation after each busy season (I usually took 3 to 4 weeks). Then when you're refreshed, reassess and see if you have another year in you. Take in one year at a time. And just see how many years you can bang out. It's usually more than you think.”

So try to enjoy it. It's not the work. Because how can ticking and tying be fun or fulfilling? But it's the experience and the people you meet and get to work with that makes public worth wile. Oh and putting the experience on your resume 🙂 Hang in there and good luck!

B - 83 Done
A - 88 Done
R - 81 Done
F - 77 Done

Ethics - Done
Attest Hours - Done

Licensed-May 2013!

[gobias]

If you feel you need to make the jump after one year, then by all means. You asked how it would be perceived by employers though and we gave our opinion.

Having spent 6 years with same company prior would certainly help your case, however. And even if you hadn't, I wouldn't call a 1 year stint a deal breaker. It's just not a positive.

Sticking it out for a little longer would probably be more beneficial long-term, but only you can decide if it would worth it. Good luck!

F - 86
R - 90
A - 97
B - 91

[mena je twa]

Thanks a lot for your inputs, enjoyed reading it…. I will not waive the white flag:)_ Thanks again..

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[Author]

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