[Anonymous]

What happens when someone gets fired from big4 afrer one year? Is it possible to get a job in industry after that?

[Anonymous]

I'd think the circumstances regarding the firing would play a big role in that. Would you care to share more of your situation? (Assuming that this is a hypothetical question based on a reality in your life…)

In general, getting fired from anything makes it a lot harder to get the next job, regardless of who the former employer is or who the prospective one is.

[Anonymous]

The circumstances are that someone is put on a improvement plan but they don't do enough to address their developing areas. Frankly I got my year end rating as 4, although all my project evaluations were 3. Now i don't feel like working extra hard. I just want to go to industry but that might take some time. Meanwhile each day at work is a depressing day. I would like to quit and focus on job search since its really hard to do both as I am travelling all the time. I don't know what to do.

[LinkA8A0A]

Well you didn't get fired yet if you're on an improvement plan. If I were you, I would probably leave before I got fired, if you feel like you're about to get the axe, although it's going to be a lot easier to get another job while you still have one, rather than explain why you left and have been unemployed…the new employer will know something happened, because people just don't quit and then try to find something else unless something is up.

I know you seem checked out of your big 4 position already, but if you were able to hang in there for another 2 years or so, you would be able to command a much better position and salary in industry than you will now.

[ruggercpa2b]

If you know that eventually they will council you out then maybe you should start looking for another job. I was fired once when I was young and could care less about what I was doing. I was not working at a Big 4 but now I am. I know that employers can not disclose the details of why you left because of potential lawsuits. Most employers verify your dates of employment and at times will say whether or not you can be hired back. I have always said that I was looking for something more challenging. You can come up with a professional answer on why you want to leave your current position or why you left your previous employer.

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AUD - 1/6/18
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AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
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I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[mla1169]

A couple of things.

One, unless you know for a fact that you can survive without a job for up to a year (hopefully much less, but never assume you'll find something as fast as you'd like) I certainly wouldn't quit a job to look for another one. You can send tons of resumes by email even while you're traveling and schedule in person interviews when you'll be in town.

Two, you need to really work on your work ethic. “Now I just don't feel like working extra hard” is not acceptable. Yeah its a bummer to be in a job you dislike, but you're a professional now so pull yourself together and act like one. Do your best every day regardless of whats happened up until now or you're not going to find it any easier in any job you get.

Rugger is right your current firm will only verify dates of employment and whether or not you are eligible to be rehired.

FAR- 77
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Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[jsmithsae]

i agree with most of what is being said…except on reputation. It is true that employers cannot disclose whether you were fired but in most accounting worlds I have been a part of that news travels faster than school girl gossip.

Personally, I know at least one manager or partner in every public firm in my city, not a small one either 1M+ people. I wont call it the good ol boy system, but don't think if you put down you worked at X employer that a simple call to a friend wont turn up the fact you were fired or had a major work ethic issue.

mla is dead on saying the “person” needs to improve their attitude. The quickest way to get fired is to act like you don't care. I don't advocate staying at a job that is “depressing” but just reading the small bit of info, it sounds like it became depressing when the person found out they weren't performing as well as they thought.

Go to work with a positive attitude, be receptive to critical comments and learn from mistakes. No one is perfect, but your managers want to know you care, are willing to learn and you don't infest the workplace with a negative vibe.

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[StephAV]

I worked at a large regional firm and we hired a group of 2 or 3 that got fired from our competitor for some ridiculous reason… I can't even think of what they did… I think it was some kind gossip type thing? Idk, but we scooped them right up, they were experienced. I saw a few people leave the firm because they were just totally over it and quit without a job. 2 in the height of the downturn that went jobless/temp jobs for a LONG time. These were/are experienced people, good workers, licensed CPA's, a little quirkey though. I think leaving without a job definately makes employers wonder…

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[fuzyfro89]

It should be. Most are less interested in your past than they are in your future. Anyone who has worked in Big 4 public understands there is a huge element of BS (some are fortunate and don't encounter it, but the stories abound of people getting steamrolled). Sometimes you get stuck on a terrible client working 60+ hours for many weeks/months after busy season, sometimes you're traveling to middle of nowhere and you hate life and don't want to continue. There are tons of crappy situations in Big 4 that are legitimate reasons to quit.

The only trick is to be honest without being too honest. “The travel on a client I was placed on was a bit extensive… I asked to rotate off and months later nothing had changed… so I quit”. Something like that is a professional response to why someone would leave without another job in hand. The fact is that sometimes you can't really interview since you may be traveling 5 days a week or working a ton of hours, so you may have to quit and then start your hunt. Of course, this is a risk if it's a terrible market, but right now that definitely is not the case. In any situation, if you have the time to interview or at least start exploring you definitely should. It never hurts and you can always turn down an offer if you get one.

[kmaahs]

I would step it up at work, and be networking and searching for a new gig in the meantime.

It's better to look for a job from a job. Being unemployed can be very scary when money starts drying up…

Also, if you get fired, former employers will know why if you are staying in the same area. As an earlier poster said, legal or not, gossip moves fast. And don't think the grapevine does not extend between companies.

I'd put in the time and get your stuff together, personally. Maintaining a good reference from the Big 4 is huge…

C.P.A.

[Anonymous]

The thing is i know I am not a personality fit for big 4. People are promoted based on politics and I don't have powerful contacts in the firm. I can try to stick it out but eventually I will get the axe. I am on a new project, so chances are that my ” development neeeds” won't magically disappear. Furthermore I believe that my current role doesnt even deal with accounting much. I like numbers more than writing stories about how controls work. Probably I would be better off working as a true accountant in the industry or something.

[LinkA8A0A]

I know for a fact people aren't promoted based solely on politics. I work at a big 4 firm and was just promoted and that wasn't the result of any politicking or rubbing of elbows, it was from working hard last year. I'm not insinuating you're not a hard worker, just emphasizing my point of promotions not coming solely from being in the good graces of those above you and kissing ass.

Definitely sounds like you're checked out, and unless you request a reassignment, I don't really see you becoming any happier with your role. The only advice I would try to take from all of this is to find another job (if you can) while you're still currently employed.

Good luck with your decision and future.

[Anonymous]

Is there anyone in the organization that can act as a mentor? I am not at a Big4…come from industry and pursuing CPA as a “second” career. However, I know that it is helpful to have a support group if you can or camaraderie with others..otherwise, it is hard to justify those late night hours or travels that keep you away from your friends and family.

Assess why you are in the profession and keep up a good effort while employed…That is more an issue of professionalism and integrity….You need to find a way to motivate yourself to continue if you want the paycheck from this Big4 and any possibility of a reference down the road in your career.

Reach out to folks in industry…have any connections? If not, are you networking with any local associations? LIkely there is not time for that but finding a way to broaden your network will help at least explore ideas beyond those of anonymous posts from all of us Ninja folks. Perhaps you can meet people over coffee, drink or dinner and explore ideas.

Good luck and hang in there…Your discouragement could be that you are simply tired, are you eating well, taking breaks, getting exercise, having a good relationship, all ok with family???…sometimes the work isn't the issue…Just sayin'…

Good luck to you @darkknight!

[jsmithsae]

@darkknight…i hate to break it to you but office politics plays a role in every organization. Whether public, private, small co or F500 you need to learn to “play the game.”

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[Anonymous]

Yes, politics can always be part of it. But in reality Big 4 tends to promote based on tenure and not ability (at least prior to the Manager level). If you get held back from 2nd year or senior promotions, that is them essentially telling you to quit because it is very rare and even lower ranked ppl get those promotions. IMO promotions in industry tend to have a lot more politics going on with them. Maybe it is because there are so few promotions to go around that being liked by the right people can be quite important in getting that next promotion.

[ScarletKnightCPA]

If they have a negative perception of you it is very hard for you to change that even if you became the best employee in the world. First impressions counts most unfortunately.

I am also going to echo others and state that industry does have a significant amount of politics. You probably can stay in a single role in industry without too much trouble but there tends to be less of a structured promotion structured so you only get promoted if you have people going to bat for you and push you up.

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[Author]

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