I am a MAcc student and also taking my last section of the exam. I am trying to get a job with one of the big 4. I have been invited by one of the big 4 for an office visit and a dinner. If you work for one of the big 4, please let me know what kind of things you look for from applicants during an office visit and dinner. Thanks.
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dwadecpa
offlineMemberi work at a big 4 and all the biggest piece of advice anyone gave me was, theyre looking for someone who theyre going to want to work with for 50-60 hours a week. when i look back at it, i interviewed with managers who I work with right now, and this advice makes a ton of sense. they're not professional recruiters who are going to analyze your credentials. just be someone they like to be around and talk to. don't go in and act like a suck-up or stiff, because odds are that's not your real self. just be friendly, smile, look clean and organized (no fumbling around with papers or pens).
good luck.
Posted 2 years ago # -
glutenator
offlineMemberI have to agree with Dwadecpa. Besides the obvious of a good background and able to hold a conversation, we always say we want someone that we could stand being crammed into a small conference room with for months on end. That's often more important than what school you went to or what you scored on your CPA.
I'll Pass Eventually
REG (67, 66), BEC (79), FAR (5/26/10), AUD (August 2010)Posted 2 years ago # -
Toddie00
offlineMemberI agree with both statements. Working at the Big 4, they are not looking at your resume or what your CPA scores are during the Office visit (that is what on campus interviews do). On campus interviews are usually with partners and HR making sure you are smart etc... Office interviews are about interviewing with people you are going to see everyday. They just want to make sure you are personable and can spend 6 days a week in a small room together. It is really about personality.....
I AM A CPA :)Posted 2 years ago # -
acrua112
offlineMemberThank you for all the tips. I think that answers my question. My main concern was whether they are looking at how I am going to act around a client or how I am going to act around co-workers. From what I hear, I should act how I would around co-workers. If anyone else has any input, it would be appreciated. Thanks.
Posted 2 years ago # -
As said before they are looking for someone that they can stand. Everyone they are interviewing has the credentials since they are spending the money to bring them and think about hiring them so just be yourself. But If you don't get hired don't worry about it because it's probably for the best for both parties since you'll probably be happier somewhere else and wouldn't have fit into their culture.
REG 84 FAR 82 BEC 82 AUD 76... and Done.Posted 2 years ago # -
gatorj
offlineMemberI am also a MAcc student with one exam left. I have been in pub acct - tax for 4 years now at a small firm (very small). I was considering moving into a big 4 next year after I finish school, but I was under the impression that they were not hiring and some were even laying folks off. Are the firms still actively recruiting tax, audit, and consulting then?
Thanks
Posted 2 years ago # -
dwadecpa
offlineMemberit's definitely a little bit of both of what your "concerns" are. i'm not suggesting you act informal and unprofessional, and "casual." I currently work with 2 of the 3 managers who interviewed me, and they definitely looked at both how I will interact with them, as well as interact with client personnel. Just be comfortable, be yourself, smile. At the interview, they'll be asking you about you and lines on your resume, and who doesn't love to talk about themselves?? Sound enthusiastic and glad that they asked you things about yourself - because you should be. Talking about yourself needs to be the easiest and most comfortable thing about your interview.
Something I often hear about candidates who didn't get an offer is that they seemed "intense." That's pretty much all I was suggesting: be comfortable and not intense - there's nothing to be intense about.
The dinner should be easy too, anyone you run into, just ask them about themselves (just like they do to you at the interview!). Like I said, everyone loves talking about themselves, so you shouldn't run into any awkward conversations. Talk to the other candidates, especially the ones sitting next to you, and ask them where they went to school, where they grew up, etc. Don't ask them things like, what other firms did you interview with, or anything that is too personal or might require whispering. For the employees there, just ask them where they went to school, how long they've been at the firm, what they like the most about the firm, what area of town they live in, how they get to work, etc. I generally do not ask questions about sports, or tv shows, movies, etc, because the person may not watch sports, or a tv show, or a particular movie. Just ask questions that everyone has an answer to.
good luck!
Posted 2 years ago # -
glutenator
offlineMember@coreinke, it's a numbers game for the Big 4 question. I can't tell you you're chances, but they are hiring (I know mine is). It's a bit of a dichotomy, as they are laying off and hiring at the same time. Some of the layoffs, in my opinion, are just a mask to get rid of people they don't want but don't have enough to fire them on, and some of it is simply skillsets, so they lay off one skill set and hire another. If you go to a Big 4, again in my opinion, you will work long hard hours, and you will probably be on one type of work all the time. If you go to a small firm, you may not make as much, and you may work almost as many hours, but you will probably work on multiple projects, multiple clients, and multiple tasks.
I'll Pass Eventually
REG (67, 66), BEC (79), FAR (5/26/10), AUD (August 2010)Posted 2 years ago # -
dwadecpa
offlineMember+1
take it or leave it, unless you have an offer for a similar job at another big4. then you could try to bring it up to your recruiter and they can get you in contact with who you need to speak with.
everyone i know who received offers who were close from other big 4s, they did not negotiate.
Posted 2 years ago # -
CPAPlease
offlineMemberI agree I don't think there is really any room for negotiation. Also take into account the amount of hours you will be working, and what your hourly rate ends up as. The types of projects you will be exposed to is definitely a wider range working with a smaller - mid sized firm rather than a big 4. The big 4 create some great opporunities, it just completely depends what your looking for.
I had an offer with both, and took the mid sized firm offer, for a few reasons: I get paid hourly, which means I get time and a half for every over time hour I work, this brings my pay to about the same amount as the big 4 offer, it allows me to work in a more desireable location and do things outside of work. I went to school in the south and had many friends taking jobs with the big 4 out there, there was only a $5K difference in salary offers from the south to the bay area CA....being from CA I am WELL aware that that $5k won't even make up a difference in living expenses! For me it just didn't add up, although that CPA exam bonus would have been nice haha
AUD: 82 BEC:78 FAR: 78 REG: 89Posted 2 years ago # -
Jeff - another71.com
onlineadminInteresting discussion...I like reading everyone's input. I worked in public accounting for two years, but for a small firm, so it's interesting to hear from Big people or those who considered going Big 4.
Posted 2 years ago # -
CPAPlease
offlineMemberThe hourly breakdown of a big 4 salary was pretty surprising for me, it's pretty harsh.
My friends that did go there are working long days in the off season right now, while I work my 8 hours, go have a glass of wine, and come out with the same salary!
AUD: 82 BEC:78 FAR: 78 REG: 89Posted 2 years ago # -
NJ Devilz
offlineMemberBig 4 = slave driver!! No way around it. What they do should be illegal. What you get paid by the hour is ridiculous. Your life outside of work is close to non-existant. I would say 1 out of 5 Senior associates have went to the bathroom to cry during work! (No Lie) and I'm sure the others probably cry at home.
The Big 4 IS good at recruiting college grads. They make working for them look like paradise to interns. And then trap them, slave them .. until they quite. Better yet, they're even firing people these days. ...Image that .. work like a slave and get fired ... (It's a secret in disguise for those who are fired).
On the bright side, it's better than working for McDonalds!BEC 86, FAR 89, REG 73,90, AUD 89
St John's Staten IslandPosted 2 years ago # -
glutenator
offlineMemberAlways better to know someone. The woman who helped me get in worked with me at 1 other firm, as well as with her husband, and I ended up working at 4 firms total with her husband, and even helped him get into a job at a tier 2 CPA firm locally. So, what comes around goes around, and it's good to help out others, when you are able.
I'll Pass Eventually
REG (67, 66), BEC (79), FAR (5/26/10), AUD (August 2010)Posted 2 years ago # -
Kim in OH
offlineMemberI work for a Big 4, and I can't stand it!! Seriously, it's way over-rated. During busy season, I only make the equivalent of $12 or $13 per hour. My firm is really not very flexible for someone with a family, even though they claim to be. I guess my point is, the Big 4 is not the be-all, end-all. But it looks really good on a resume!!
Posted 2 years ago # -
gmb
offlineMemberHow much should a person who has two masters degrees (MAcc, MBA) and who has just recently become a CPA (if I pass REG by June) start off making at one of the big 4? I live in the Southeast. I am just trying to find out what a reasonable offer should be.
FAR-88, AUD-94, BEC-87, REG-90Posted 2 years ago # -
CapitalGains
offlineMemberI'm not sure about the Southeast, but I received an offer for $55,000 with an undergrad only in the Northwest, although generally I think the cost of living is higher in this area. I had an offer for $45,000 before I started my internship, so having experience--even three months worth--apparently helped a lot. The Macc usually grosses you around $3,000 more than just a Bachelor's, but I'm not sure about the MBA.
AUD: 97, FAR: 96, BEC: 93, REG: 99, Ethics: 100 (laugh)Posted 2 years ago # -
Jaywalk
offlineMemberI had an internship at a Big4 firm and it made me highly marketable looking for a job elsewhere. The interviews I had for the internship were given by managers and were off-topic (not job or accounting-related).
acrua112, the office visit/dinner/outings are a good sign for you as your employment is nearly guaranteed at this point (in my opinion), assuming you don't do something to screw it up. The hardest part is getting an "in" with the firm, which you have already done. The Big4 I worked for hires en masse, because they are looking for large numbers of cheap new hires to fill the void of all the employee turn-over they experience. My advice is to just participate in their events, be somewhat sociable and remain a faceless name in the crowd and you'll fit right in.
As far as negotiating salary, I only know of one person doing this. It was for a specialized position where this person was at another Big4 firm for a year and developed experience similar to what the new position described before being hired on. In general, all new hires get the same salary. If you accept the job/salary, do it with a smile.
BEC 78 - 11/27/2008 | AUD 84 - 08/10/2009
REG 82 - 11/23/2009 | FAR 84 - 01/19/2010
-| Passed all sections |-Posted 2 years ago # -
Patrick909
offlineMemberYou want to work for the Big 4? That's fine......if you don't mind not having a life. Frankly, I wish everyone would just tell the Big 4 to go F themselves....that's the only way we'll ever stop the whole slave-driving mentality that is pervasive in this profession.
Let's face it, we aren't exactly curing cancer with our calculators and Excel spreadsheets. What's SO IMPORTANT that it takes more than 8 hours in a single day to do?
Sigh...as long as there are people with no lives who will slavishly devote themselves to the Big 4 and others, we'll never get anywhere concerning quality-of-life issues. Don't people have hobbies, interests outside of work anymore? Friends? Family?
Posted 2 years ago #
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