[win2bet]

The reality is there are expectations of working long hours & producing quality work day in & day out, sometimes the hours are simply staggering. Is this really the dream jobs we have all been working so hard all our lives for? I would like to believe that after a few years working at a big4 to settle down into a nice government gig with less pressure / less hours. or is there some other solution, for ex. just have people think your working hard when your really not & take more vacations?

REG 68,87
BEC 85
FAR 75
AUD 64,64, 86!

[JohnWayneIsGod]

Screw Big 4. Of all of the people I have known who worked for them, they had sad stories that involved medical problems and destroyed relationships. And the few times I went into the ‘auditor room' when the auditors were not around, it felt like I had walked into a college dorm. Energy bar wrappers, empty cans of Monster, etc everywhere. I'm not sure where those companies get off paying kids around $50k a year to work slave hours while those firms rake in billions. Personally, I'll never work for them for some vague promise that I just might become a big-shot in accounting someday.

And if I sound angry, I am. It's late and I am still studying.

FAR - 80

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

-John Wayne

[UM1868]

It all depends on the type of job you end up going into. If it is some analyst, senior accountant position, expect 40 hrs, vacations, and long hours during quarters/year end (7pm lulz).

And to the person above me, we know they take advantage of us. We complain everyday while working to one another. It's miserable. But I can speak from experience that I receive 7-12 recruiting messages on LinkedIn a week.

Some people go to big 4 for the long haul (I have no clue why), but people like me do it with 2-3 years in sight. I have been doing interviews/talking with recruiters and I have high bargaining power. Sometimes you see where companies will accept 2 years in Big 4 public accounting experience and require 4 years outside of Big 4. So yes, we are being killed, but we do it for our futures.

We are in no way better than anyone else, but we know what were doing and why we did it. Yes, I hate my job most days (75% of the time), but an end is in sight. Being on perpetual busy seasons has gifted me knowledge that i would have never received doing a AP position in industry or an analyst position in corporate accounting.

Bec-76 (7/14)
Aud-81 (8/14)
Reg-82 (7/15)
Far- 82 (10/15)

Moral of the story, don't do your CPA while working in Big 4 Public Accounting.

[silvercamaro77]

I was in purely as a stepping stone. I had no intentions of being a lifer in Big 4. I was on the 5 year track which is where you seem to get the biggest bang for your buck jumping out (at least around here). I ended up jumping ship at the start of 3 because I was offered a position similar to what I had hoped to get at the 5 year mark.

I also worked as a staff accountant for about 1.5 years before I started with Big 4 and knew without doubt that I needed to be able to move up the ladder faster than I could if I tried to do it without Big 4.

AUD- 95
FAR- 75
BEC- 83
REG- 85

Officially done! Exclusively used NINJA for BEC, REG, and FAR

[jm962011]

I think the knowledge might be worth it. No company in industry can has the resources (money and time) to teach you what you need to know to be a tax professional. 3 years out of college and I am struggling there. Not sure about other accounting/finance roles though.

A thought on working hard vs. not working hard. In the office, I prefer quality over quantity but in my current role, even though the VP of tax would agree with me, the guys would prefer to jack around for 3-4 hours a day and stay til 7 or 8pm. Not my thing. When I was interviewing, a different company said to be “you seem like someone who gets 40 hours of work done in 35.” But I feel those people staying til 7 or 8 are looking better but our output is the same, IMO. There was even an NYT article about how some people (read: men) “work” ungodly hours but they aren't really working…

[fuzyfro89]

“I ended up jumping ship at the start of 3 because I was offered a position similar to what I had hoped to get at the 5 year mark.”

Exactly how I felt! My plan on day 1 of training was that I'd be at the firm for 4-6 years, depending on whether I wanted to be manager or if I could get a decent gig at that point.

Little did I know… I managed to come across a great opportunity after my 2nd year and it was just too hard to pass up.

Summary:

– A googly-eyed dreamer before starting

– A realist at 3 months

– A pessimist after the 1st year

– A means to an end after 1.5 years

[Anonymous]

“Summary:

– A googly-eyed dreamer before starting

– A realist at 3 months

– A pessimist after the 1st year

– A means to an end after 1.5 years “

THIS is roughly what 90% of people go through (although sometimes it take them a little less time – and sometimes a little more – to face reality). It is SHOCKING how long people can stick around after they get to the final two stages – usually it is because they drank the Kool-Aid. I left when I was still a staff for a big % jump, got promoted (which the big 4 propaganda machine like to tell you won't happen if you leave Big 4 at the staff level) and currently make quite a bit more than my former “class” who are now seniors. If you are smart, work hard and seek out development opportunities, you'll be successful in this field whether you stay at big 4 for __# of years or not.

[win2bet]

The American Dream, but honestly over 3 years would probably be my limit, or maybe find something more interesting within the company after a few years

REG 68,87
BEC 85
FAR 75
AUD 64,64, 86!

[Author]

Replies