PwC seasonal tax work vs. small accounting firm tax full-time

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  • #190152
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi guys,

    Right now I have to make a decision about which direction I should go: A small CPA firm, which would pay 50k a year or seasonal tax work, with heavy hours but could amount to 40k in 3.5 months

    Here is little background about me, I just am graduating with my Masters this December, and have only BEC left for the CPA, which I expect to finish early January. I plan to get an appt with my gf near either job location. Also, I’m 30.

    Here are my concerns and hopefully can get some advice:

    -I would definitely like to work for PwC because of the name, and also my goal is to work in Big 4 eventually. I actually think I’d like the long hours, as long as my gf doesn’t mind. However it’s only a seasonal job, it ends on 4/18/2014, and I heard most people don’t get full time offers, at least after only one year of seasonal work. I’ll probably have to look again for work after tax season, in which case I assume I’d need to find a full time audit job, and try to switch back into tax. Thing is, I’d probably learn a lot in this time, and it pays nearly as much as the year long job, but without benefits.

    -About the full time firm: the office is not a very large office It is not far from where my family lives. The people are really cool, and I think I’d have a lot of support and learn a lot working there. Also, I have a classmate who works there, who got me the interview. Finally, it’s more stable, since I’ll be employed year round. Both jobs start January. My plan, regardless of which I take, is to eventually transfer to a mid-size accounting firm or Big 4.

    Which direction I should go? Appreciate any advice.

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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  • #619577
    soyanks
    Member

    Based on your background (your age, and the fact that most seasonal jobs come without a FT offer at the end), I would take the full time offer that is guaranteed with the small CPA firm.

    Spend a year at the small CPA firm, and make the switch to pwc or another big firm. Especially with a full CPA credential (which you will have by then) and a full year of experience, you are a more attractive candidate. Big firms are always looking for experienced hires. In some ways, it's easier to get hired as a experienced hire (compared to OCR recruiting).

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    #619578
    Tux
    Member

    Sorry to contradict the previous post, but I think I'd recommend the Big 4 seasonal job.

    The weight that it would carry on your resume is huge, especially since you want to work in Big 4 in the future anyway. And, even if it takes you a while to find another job after April, you will have already made close to an annual income anyway.

    What does your gut tell you? I get the impression that you're leaning toward the seasonal job.

    Either way, you can't go wrong, but working at Big 4 is a unique opportunity that I think you might regret if you pass up. Even if it turns out not to be as great on the inside, as it seems on the outside, you'll never know until you do it.

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    #619579
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I was in a similar position (at 31 no less), and passed on the Big 4 opportunity for the smaller firm.

    I haven't looked back. Just about when I thought I would start doing the dog and pony show (around 2 yrs in), my firm promoted me to our forensics department. The work is WAY more interesting than I'd be doing at Big 4. We're working criminal cases with the DOJ while the Big 4 forensics guy I know is stuck doing lawsuits and SEC work. The SEC work can only be civil. The DOJ takes on the criminal cases.

    If you go the same route as I did, you'll have plenty of opportunities to get back into the Big 4 down the road. I'm coming up on four years experience and regularly get calls from recruiters (Big4, Fortune 500, and plenty of smaller ones). You'll get more and more opportunities presented to you with each passing year.

    Either way you go, your first job will be your hardest one to find.

    #619580
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Thanks everyone for the great feedback. In the end, due to the impending deadline of accepting the seasonal work, and though it seemed I was gonna get the offer for the small firm but didn't get a definite offer yet, I took the seasonal work. I'm sure, even if i end up unemployed again, hard work will get me to a full time job regardless.

    #619581
    mhueycpa
    Participant

    I'm going to Sip he Big4 haterade as someone posted in another thread. People on this Forum and throughout the profession make the Big 4 sound like a 4.0 GPA in college. That's great and all but what else did you do, work experience, extra cirrculatrs, etc? Age is a number, so don't worry about that. More importantly what do you want out of your experience? I recently graduated from a top accounting school in the North East, where everyone from the Big 4 to the sole proprietor down the block comes to recruit. While in college I worked part time at at Very small CPA Firm. 1 owner and 6 staff. It was a small firm but we had a diverse client base, as well as a diverse services we provided. At such a small firm I was exposed to Auditing, Financial Statement prep (GAAP and IFRS), US resident and foreign entity tax preparation, etc. At a small firm you will be exposed to more, thus having a greater breadth of knowledge. Getting a spot at the Big 4, getting thrown into a department (tax, assurance, etc.), gaining depth of knowledge on one or more topics was never my thing. Maybe its yours maybe its not. Since graduating I moved to a mid size private Entertainment Management Company. I was hired here, based on experience and knowledge, more so experience cuz my GPA sucked, to replace at retiring partner within the next 5yrs. I'll be 29 and a partner by then making over $500k/year. My experience won't be the same as yours, but you never know whats out there. So don't get hung up on the Big 4 for a name. Look beyond that to see what experience/ knowledge you'll gain.

    THE 300 CLUB WILL DO JUST FINE!

    #619582
    GotCPA
    Participant

    @mhueycpa so they valued your 2-3 years of experience at a small cpa firm worthy to make you a partner making 500k/year in the next 5 years? What company is this? you mind sharing with us?

    #619583
    mhueycpa
    Participant

    @ GotCPA, 5 years of experience. and No I'd prefer not to. The owner of that small CPA firm also found me worthy of taking over his firm, unfortunately he's young so that would have been another 10+ years. I still do side work for that small CPA firm and I'll probably buy the practice from the guy once I've saved enough money. The value to take away from this is not the company I work for now. It's not selling yourself for Name on a Resume, just because its a Name. Figure out what you want to gain from your experience working (breadth or depth) then make a decision.

    THE 300 CLUB WILL DO JUST FINE!

    #619584
    GotCPA
    Participant

    @mhueycpa wait so your 24 now and you have 5 years of experience, so you started full time at public accounting at age 19?

    #619585
    Missbots
    Member

    mhueycpa's story is interesting, I'm going to be following this post, this one is one of a kind, you dnt get to hear too many stories like this

    #619586
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    GotCPA,

    mhueycpa said that he/she worked all through college.

    The big four route isn't for everyone. I would have recommended the smaller firm to EricT. I work at one, and feel that it's given me more overall knowledge. I work on every entity possible, and love the diversification.

    #619587
    mhueycpa
    Participant

    GotCPA must be an auditor, cuz he's spending the rest of this post vetting the authenticity of my story. Fortunately, it's truthfulness only matters to one person. Me. As Ancel and I said, I worked fulltime throughout college. I started Freshman year in late Aug early Sept, landed parttime gig at small CPA firm in December. Within 6 months I had a fulltime position working on a variety of clientele as well as providing various services for those clients. I don't see whats so complex with being a partner as 29, hell by then i'll have 10yrs of experience by then. Most students only care about a 4.0 GPA and have absolutely no work experience. Well I cared more about the experience, of course all my peers got into Big 4 firms. But none of them will be a partner by 29, hell even 30-35. I like Ancel love the diversification and breadth of knowledge a Small firm provides, that's why I didn't and won't go to a Big 4 firm. I know current and retired Partners from Deloitte, I've asked them about their experiences, so I know second hand what its like and its not for me or for everyone.

    THE 300 CLUB WILL DO JUST FINE!

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