[Last Chance CPA]

Can we rank the Big 4s? I don’t know all the categories, but say:

-Work/Life Balance

-Advisory/Tax/Assurance/Audit Practice

-Career growth

-Travel (within each practice)

-Age of employees

-Senior Management/Partners – e.g., likability, toughness, attitude, etc.

-Gender gap

-Diversity

-Social aspect

-Technology utilized

AUD - 75
BEC - 75
FAR - 76
REG - 76

I want those initials next to my name!!!!

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Allergic2CPA]

@OP

I always hear that the items you listed are highly dependent on particular markets, clients, turnover and quality withing a team, your background and skill set.

FAR 46*, 77
AUD 70, 79
BEC 67, 82
REG 75

Texas License July 2013

Used Yaeger lectures based on Wiley textbooks

*Studied less than two weeks, forgot I had purchased NTS.

[acamp]

Rank the Big4s lol. Cultures from office to office may differ, but broadly speaking in reference to those categories, they're all the same.

Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

FAR, REG and BEC with Ninja Notes + WTB Only

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[OnMyWay732]

They all come in last. No, this does not mean they also all come in first.

AUD - July 2014 - 76
REG - August 2014 - 82
FAR - November 2014 - 78
BEC - January 2015 - 81

DONE!!!!

Used Becker online. Who needs a text when you can burn your eyes out staring at the screen for months on end?

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you're hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

[Anonymous]

Well- basically acamp has it right. They are literally the same. There are WAY too many variables for you to get a good answer. First off, which market? Northeast? Southwest? Second, which line of service? Tax? Assurance? Third, what industry within that line of service…which could consist of all sorts of things. I am starting at a Big 4 in Northeast this coming fall and we have all sorts of different industries. The industries can honestly be like “mini-firms” within the firm. Each industry deals with different types and different sized clients. Some industries such as Asset Management can have teams of 80+ people for large financial service related industries (things to the size of Bank of America, etc), while some small retailers could have audit teams of 5. Totally varies. That will also cause the work-life balance to vary. Literally they are all about the same as far as firm age, gender, equality, career growth, partners, etc.

If you haven't interviewed and/or are deciding to interview, why not try all four? See where you get offers and see which firm you felt “clicked” best. Some people obviously have their preferences, and their is “firm rivalry” which is more of a joke than anything since most of the people at PwC know a bunch of people at Deloitte, EY, KPMG, etc. All comes down to where you feel most comfortable.

[Anonymous]

1. It

2. Does

3. Not

4. Matter

[masshole]

Each Big 4 has its own distinct reputation. They all, however, attempt to market themselves the same way: Top 100 Best Places to Work, Top Place for Working Mothers, etc etc etc. And yes, there are too many variables to consider before your questions can be answered.

The point: You can't answer 95% of these questions until you have worked there.

AUD: 87 (10/1/14)
FAR: 82 (11/24/14)
BEC: 79 (1/5/15)
REG: 88 (4/09/15), 66 (2/24/15)

[SponsoredByDunkinDonuts]

I went through the recruiting process with all of the big 4 from my university. They all try so hard to make their respective firm sound better, different, a cooler place to work, more “chill”, more work life balance, more diversity. blah blah blah. They are all the same. I did a tax internship at a big 4 in NYC last summer and accepted a position to begin next fall. I really liked the group that I worked with, but I talked to people at that same firm within the tax practice but in a different group who had a completely different experience than me. The turnover ratio for big 4 is also very high, so many of the people I enjoyed working with last summer most likely will not even be there when I start.

TLDR: All big 4 are the same. They will try to make themselves sound unique but they are not. They will try to tell you anything they think you want to hear to trick you into becoming their little work drone. The work won't be fun and you probably won't make a lot of money, but you will gain great experience (maybe)

AUD- 99 (11/26/2014)
BEC- 81 (1/12/2015)
REG- 85 (2/28/2015)
FAR- ?? (5/18/2015)

[soyanks]

-Work/Life Balance = Meh, depends on the office/city and clients (public/private, etc) you are on. But other than some down time during summer, don't expect much of work/life balance, especially when you get assigned to big clients.

-Advisory/Tax/Assurance/Audit Practice – Who cares. Choose the field that you want to work in.

-Career growth – You can achieve your career goals at any of the Big 4 firms. It's up to you.

-Travel (within each practice) – Depends on clients.

-Age of employees – You will start with a class similar to your age. Generally, people at the firm are young. Directors/Partners tend to be older.

-Senior Management/Partners – e.g., likability, toughness, attitude, etc. – Depends on the person.

-Gender gap – Not as much at staff/senior level. You may start to notice it at manager+ levels.

-Diversity – Pretty good at all firms.

-Social aspect – Don't understand this question. Mostly, people are great to work with. There are few bad apples here and there, but that's the same at any company.

-Technology utilized – KPMG used to have the reputation of being outdated in terms of technology. They were the last of the big 4 firms that embraced electronic based workpaper.

From Former Big 4 alum

FAR - 86
REG - 85
BEC - 90
AUD - 84

[Last Chance CPA]

Interesting. I expected these responses to a degree, but also expected some concrete opinions.

So I have had a stint at KPMG (approx 1.5 years) within Advisory (non-accounting), and I have heard that PWC and Deloitte are more selective and have higher quality consultants than both E&Y and KPMG. KPMG is supposed to be dead last between the 4, partly because they are rebuilding their consultancy practice after the Bearing Point (into PWC?) merger.

So yes, I think there are some out there with strong opinions regarding their Big 4 experiences. I was in Boston (with KPMG) and now I am in So Cal…

And I have heard KPMG parties the most, while Deloitters are a bunch of stiffs – lol.

AUD - 75
BEC - 75
FAR - 76
REG - 76

I want those initials next to my name!!!!

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Anonymous]

How about we rank them in damages paid for failure to detect material misstatements caused by financial statement frauds?

[wannabeCPA123]

I do recruiting. I always just keep-it-real with the recruits. I tell them what I think is annoying about this firm, and I tell them the good things about this firm. I also tell them what I think the firm lacks compared to other firms.

last time I was recruit, I could tell that the Firm's campus recruiter was getting pissed off at me, but I don't care.

I was shocked to see that many of the recruits were put-off by my honesty. I mean the kids want to be sold dreams, but I just can't do it.

FAR 78
REG 87
BEC 78
AUD 78
Passed all exams on first try! Good luck to everyone!

[Anonymous]

wannabe-

How was the long term retention rate of your recruits (if that was tracked internally)?

It may be beneficial to chase away the kids sitting on the sidelines. It leaves you with a pool of recruits that actually know what they're in for and still want it.

[nigercpa]

Wannabecpa I intend to start applying for jobs with the big4s by summer for entry level. I have been out of college for three years, though I have other experiences but not public accounting. Would you mind reviewing my resume for format, error and style that fits what the big4s want?

AUD - 87
BEC - 77
FAR - 83
REG - 77

Licensed in 2015

Far - Passed 83
Aud - Passed 84
Bec - Passed 77
Reg- Passed 77

[Anonymous]

Big 4 Dreams – finding fraud, parades in your name, amazing work life balance, life long friends as coworkers, exit opportunities lined up around the block with 6 figure bonuses, etc.

Big 4 Reality – miserable hours, worse travel, unreasonable deadlines, overbearing managers, stupid clients, high stress, minimal job satisfaction, poor raises, etc.

Doesnt matter where you go, bottom line.

[Author]

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