[Nebz]

Hey everyone, so I just abruptly got fired from a Big 4 firm after 9 months. It was super shady. I traveled about 90% of the time and had pretty much zero opportunity to network with people in my office. My performance reviews were going fine (four in a row were At-Level reviews from January to May). However, all of these reviews were done out of office in other cities. Out of frustration for traveling, I requested a transfer to my hometown (in a professional manner of course), which in retrospect, I think pissed off my career coach…all of the sudden 2 weeks later, I was put onto a “performance improvement plan” and literally 80% of the development points in my PIP were not even things that I had struggled with since like the first month I got hired in October…My career coach had me put onto her main client for four weeks where she was the lead manager and literally it was like I could do nothing right in her eyes…it was almost like she was trying to screw me over, so 2 weeks into the job I reached out to HR in a very professional manner with two concerns…First, my relationship with my career coach, and second, the gap between how my reviewers in other offices were evaluating my performance to be good vs. how my home office was basically telling me I was a shitty employee. I also asked HR to keep my concerns confidential from my career coach, yet they literally went and told the partners in my office and my career coach… two weeks later I got my review back from my career coach’s client and it was such a bad review, that it was almost laughable. It was clear that they were trying to give me a bad review… If you follow the progression of my reviews this review was basically saying that I had gotten severely worse from the day I started up until this point, which was completely absurd. Before I could even dispute the review from my reviewer, I was called in and fired by a partner for “performance progression issues”.

Now I’m really not discouraged in my abilities or lacking in confidence. I know for a fact that I got completely screwed over by firm politics, and I know for a fact that I’m competent and a hard worker and that I can get another job and be successful. On top of that, I have my CPA. I’m mostly just pissed off that I wasn’t ever given a fair chance and am really trying to evaluate what I want to do next. If this is how cut throat, it’s going to be in public accounting every where, then I don’t want to continue in public accounting.

I’m really just trying to evaluate what I want to do at this point before I start sending out my resume and filling out applications. I feel like I could succeed in public accounting, but am definitely not passionate about it. I feel like my interests are more in line with potentially working in financial planning, investments, or real estate.

If I wanted to work in these fields, where would I start? What are the requirements to get into these fields? Would my CPA give me a competitive advantage? What do y’all think?

[MIsconnie]

Sounds like a Big 4 thing to do, keep your head up and find something that makes you happy. The only thing Big 4 is good for is the experience, of which can be acquired elsewhere. Check out private and other smaller firms that may offer what you are looking for.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Definitely sounds like they treated you poorly.

I will say this. When you are in your first couple years of a new job you pretty much have to suck up the travel or whatever you are assigned. You have to do your time at any job. Once you get more seniority you have more say or voice.

[ruggercpa2b]

I am sorry that you had this happen. But what Tiderfl said is pretty much spot on. You kind of have to just suck it up and do the work and go where you are needed when you are in your first year. I know HR is supposed to be a resource, however, I live by the rule that nothing ever stays confidential. I never go to HR about anything because they have to talk to your partners and unless I truly trust a partner to do the right thing, I do not even bother. Things always get back to the person no matter how much HR tries to say oh we dont tell anyone. The partner and HR have to investigate your concerns and sometimes its very easy to know who told on you which probably just made that manager even more mad.

When I wanted to switch from audit to tax,I went to my coach and asked her what her thoughts were. Based on her response I knew if I had her support if I was better off staying put. She went and told the partner and the partner called me in his office and told me that it was not a good move for me. So after a day I went back and said “based on our conversation I think you are right and will stay in audit.” Because I knew that I would be screwed if I just did my own thing and tried to go to tax anyway. You have to figure out how to play the corporate games which sucks.

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[Lennamey]

Totally agree with RuggerCPA2b … I didnt go into the big 4 (thank GOD). I avoided it because I knew i wouldnt have patience for corporate BS but it turns out …. you wille experience that everywhere and it sucks that you had to experience that. Really and truly, all the big 4 does is give you experience. You go to another company from the big 4 and they automatically think you are a genius !!!!

About HR: they do not care about you. They care about protecting the company. I found myself in a situation where a girl with longer tenure threatened me and i complained to HR and they protected this girl. I got performance reviews and they were similar to yours !!! I started aggressively searching for a job soon after and found something within 3 weeks !!! You have to play the corporate game !! Always stay 2 steps ahead !!! I knew they would've tried to fire me anyways so i left on my own terms.

Before working in corporate america, I was always under the impression that HR never knew about workplace violence/racism/sexual harassment between employees but until i found myself in certain situations is when i understood … HR knows and does nothing about it until things escalate and someone gets hurt !!! I'm sure you'll be able to find something !!!! But be smart in the decisions you make with your search and your prospective job

**hint** go to the private sector … they pay you much more than the big 4 . . . Im making around 85k doing analysis work and my big 4 friends all make less than 70k !!! They're making less money and working long non-overtime hours for less than what I make. At least I get to go home at 5pm everyday !!!! BE SMART !!

[Tim]

About HR: they do not care about you. They care about protecting the company.

Very much this. HR is not on your side do not ever confide in them or bring your complaints to them. Consider it an expensive but valuable lesson learned and push on to better pastures.

I learned this early on in my first big corp job. I emailed HR and literally just asked to meet with them to discuss my career with the company. It was nothing bad I just wanted to get their input on the best way to do well and move up in the company. What did they do? Forwarded my message to my supervisors and the next thing you know my boss's boss's boss called me into his office to chew me out.

[Drew]

Same as above, even in middle management. I recently learned the hard way to avoid trusting HR and executive level “leadership.” They want machine-like performance combined with loads of “fluff,” not limited to kissing their feet and bowing down in their presence. I had a boss who wanted to be my best friend…would text me on the weekends and take playful jabs at me and give me all his work (I ran a department of 20+). I said something sarcastic back to him once in private and he reprimanded me. So I had to listen to his inappropriate and disgusting jokes and who he is interested in the office (while twice married with kids) and just smile and nod. I would compare it to teaching yourself how to act.

Point is you will come across supervisors/executives with CPAs and MBAs etc. that have egos larger than you ever thought possible. If you can survive it for two years do it and move on. I think it increasingly creates the need for professionals to job hop to avoid too long of a stay. When I hit year 4 it became clear I should have left in year 3. I think as we gain experience we will have the chance to discover positions that do not require two personalities, or as our HR friends frame it, “office style flexing.” Barf.

Consider it a good thing, as I am, lots of opportunities :). Good luck to you

[Adam]

Get used to it..So far in Two years at smaller firms..I've been laid off..lied to about a perm position only being season..quit a non cpa firm due to them being so incompetent in accounting..to go work for a Tax Attorney in Downtown Chicago..where I was fired and told i had no skills despite being a CPA and the attorneys office was made up of people with no accounting degrees and most of the business returns had no actual financial statements they just made up expenses depending on tax due. inflated 2106 and 8253 expenses and so on..I was also told be a sr member state taxes were not federally deductible..lol I was glad to be gone so i could get UE and enjoy the summer.

Point being is Accounting is full of sociopaths and if you work in public you are going to go through this over and over again..so get used to it until about 5 years of experience..then I'm assuming you will have a whole nother set of issues to deal with.

There is a reason why the demand for CPA's with 3+ years of experience is HUGE.

[Xsnob1234]

Oh, that is bad. I currently work as an auditor at a local firm here in Boston and have been working my ass off to get into the Big4. It is sad to see you leave Big4 like that.

But this is the truth about public accounting and I think it is the case that applies to every accounting firm not just to the Big4. No matter which firm you work for, as long as you are in public accounting, you have to show them a good impression/personality that fit into their culture from day 1 or you are out. This profession is just so damn competitive with so much BS so much BS office politics, you don’t necessarily have to play it but at least you have to FOLLOW THE RULES. Otherwise, you will be classified as someone who doesn’t fit in their culture. In public accounting, you are just a number, no firm is short of people, if they lay you off, they can always find someone to fill up your role in a split second.

As a first year associate or even experience associate at Big4, if I were you, I would try not to bring up anything to the HR or anything that catches HR’s attention. Just wait until you make to Senior Associate/Manager or higher, if you can get at least two to five full years of experience at the Big4, then you are pretty much golden. Until then, I highly doubt you have any voice to speak for yourself. So don’t try to standout too much in your first year or two, just follow their rules and focus on your work.

It is naive to think that HR can keep secrets with you. Rumors and gossips always travel. People are always always always talking behind your backs. It is ugly but this is the way how this profession works.

~My CPA Journey~
FAR- 2/24/15- 81
REG- 4/27/15- Pending
AUD- TBD
BEC- TBD

[sarahmaru]

I have to disagree with the blanket assessment that HR can’t be trusted. I’ve never worked Big 4, but I have worked closely with several people in my corporate HR. They are not out to get you, but they are also not there to be your friend. They are there to enforce policy as consistently as possible. Are there bad reps? Of course— just like there are bad accountants and bad supervisors and bad everything elses. There are also bad personnel policies, and that’s not necessarily something your rep has any control over. But you can use the formal channels the company has in place to challenge them.

[Tim]

I still have to disagree with that in my current role as controller at a small company that doesn't have HR personnel, meaning I am the primary HR function. If an employee comes to me and complains about anything the first thing I'm going to do is share it with his supervisor and the owner of the company. My responsibility is to the company, not the employees. I am not here to make sure that employees are treated fairly. I'm here to make sure the company is successful.

edit: Being fair to employees and running a successful company often go hand in hand. I'm just making a statement on my priorities. If I was advocating for the employee I would tell him not to confide in me. But since I'm advocating for the company I tell employees to come to me with any problems they have.

[Mike J]

I 1000% agree with Tim, when he says “If I was advocating for the employee I would tell him not to confide in me. But since I'm advocating for the company I tell employees to come to me with any problems they have.”

Because most states are “at will” employment states, this is the reality.

Case in point, look at the recent SCOTUS ruling in which they found employers can coerce job applicants and current employees agree to arbitration. Arbiters who wish to be retained better not find in favor of employees or companies footing the bill will find another.

It's also increasingly harder to unionize. Say what you will about the overall effectiveness of them. But, labor's sole strength is in their numbers.

So yes, don't trust HR. As others have said, it's very often a popularity contest. You may have a diploma, but High School is not over.

[Author]

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