[slugger73]

Hi all,

I am reaching out for any comments about switching from PwC to Baker Tilly. I am in tax compliance. The switch is based on location. I am very interested in this, but want to make sure I am not giving anything up by leaving big 4 only 6 months into my career. I have passed my exams. Aside from salary, does anyone have any overall thoughts on changes? Benefits, culture, career path, etc.?

I am especially interested in if BT pays for overtime meals, cell phone, 401k match, flexible working, etc.

Thanks,

slugger!

[Recked]

I can't offer much personal knowledge on this other than PwC is very prestigious and recognized all over the world.
I personally have never heard of BT, but that isn't saying much.

Lots of people would sell their soul to have a shot at PwC.
But at the same time, lots of people went the Big4 route and left as soon as they could.

I would suggest you analyze your life and goals, and figure out what your top 5 priorities in life are at this point in time, and then weigh which firms offers you the most potential to meeting those top 5 priorities. I would also suggest you establish in writing your top 5 short term goals and top 5 long term goals, and compare those goals, to your priorities, and then see which path provides you the most benefit.

Sorry I can't offer better advice to compare the firms.

Not sure how old you are, but one thing I can guarantee is that sooner or later Family will become your top priority, and all your goals will focus around family.
It might be a wife and kids, or it might be ailing/fading parents.
Choose to spend your time wisely. No one dies wishing they had more money. Everyone dies wishing they had spent more time with family/loved ones.

[Still Drowning]

I am the opposite, I cannot speak for any big 4 firm BUT I am working for a firm that is a part of the Baker Tilly Network. My firm is regionally based and has about 550 employees across all our offices. I have been here (fresh out of college) for a year now and we have gained many new managers that have jumped ship from the big 4 life. Those that I have spoken to definitely enjoy the better work life balance COMPARED TO THE BIG 4. When you are in public accounting, you will always have long hours during busy seasons and occasional spikes here and there depending on the clients you work with, but overall you are pulling a lot less crazy hours. Our paychecks also don't look too bad compared to the big 4 as well -> but may even look better if you decide to divide annual salary by actual hours worked in a year. I only have experience in one side of public so far so my opinion is heavily biased towards non Big 4, but this is what I have seen know from speaking with people who have done both. Best of luck with your career!

[TommyTheCat]

my 2 cents would be to stick it out at PWC til you make senior then look into opportunities. I started at PWC out of college after interning there and i stuck around for 2 years and started seeking out opportunities at smaller firms with more work/life balance once i had senior title. Found a job easily and increased my salary about 34% in the move. PWC on my resume helps me a lot, whereas I know folks I worked with that left after a busy season or two and they had some hard times getting traction finding gigs down the road…the big 4 on the resume doesnt look so good to some folks if it is a really short term stint. Some folks tend to associate that with not being able to cut it, even if thats the furthest from the truth. Not saying everyone thinks that but some do.

[Barney]

I work for a mid-tier firm ranked right around the size of Baker Tilly. I've been in PA and at my firm for a little over two years and I think I'll eventually make the transition to B4 in the next year or so. While I like my firm, I feel like our highs and lows for work are a lot more drastic than they are in B4. There many weeks where 50-75% of the people at staff/senior levels won't have any/much work and then during busy season there is so much that we're required to work 65+ and if you're not putting in that much they get pissed. During the summer though, a lot of weeks I only work 32 hours and they don't care so long as I hit my 1,800 charge hour goal and 2,300 total hour goal.

From discussions with my friends at B4 firms it doesn't sound like they had the peaks as high as I do. Maybe it's just me but that takes a lot out of a guy working 65+ hour weeks for months on end. Other than that I'd say your fringe benefits are probably a lot better than what mine are. We get maybe 2 meals paid for during tax season, they don't help with gym memberships or cell plans, etc. Very basic.

Feel free to comment if I'm off in any regard about B4 firms…I'm just going off what my buddies have told me. Good luck!

[Sunni]

IDK. Public firms refuse to hire me even though I was nearly complete with the CPA exam when I applied last and after applying several years in a row, I have quit trying to appeal to them. Won't even apply next year despite having my CPA certification if not license.

With that said, most I know who jumped down regretted it. Said it was the same experience for a less prestigious firm. A couple people liked that they had more hands on time with the partner. That's about it.

[Author]

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