[Anonymous]

I started in Advisory at Big4 around 3 months ago. My job is basically supporting IT audits, although I have no IT background. It’s challenging to learn IT stuff while trying to settle-in. I feel like I am really slow in getting things done and most of the time I don’t know how am I supposed to do the work. I hate waking up and going to job each day.

I have now started to work on weekends as well, in addition to the weekdays and travel time of 6 hrs each week. I don’t know if I should just stick it out with the job till I reach the one year mark, or should I just start applying to industry positions. Also if I should apply to other jobs, should I apply to something similar to IT auditing or do I have a shot at financial analyst kind of positions as well.(I have already passed my CPA exam)

[foreseeableCPA]

I'd say to stick it out. But if you are certain that you will have no regrets leaving and have another job lined up, then you can switch jobs. Big4 experience is highly beneficial for future jobs so I'd suggests staying at least to the 1 year mark. My sister who quit the Big4 after 1.5 years (this happened 4-5 years ago) just applied for a Senior position at a regional firm and was given an interview pretty quick. She never worked in accounting after she left too. When they see BIG4 on the resume, it sticks out.

CPA - Class of 2013
CIA - Class of 2016

[Anonymous]

Thanks foreseeable CPA. My only concern about sticking out is getting fired before I have another job. Does anyone know how many strikes you get before you are let go in your first year? or what are the signs you see when they cut you off

[Anonymous]

Have people told you that you're doing a bad job? Or is that just your own perception?

[Anonymous]

Well, I have been told a couple of times that I have been working really slow. I spend a lot of time trying to figure out things by myself even if I ask others, it takes me a lot of time to really understand the info. So, most of the times I spend significantly more than the budgeted time on a project. I haven't got an official review yet,so most of it is my own perception.

[Anonymous]

Well, depending on the big 4 firm, if you are in advisory, they will likely have a branch focused on business and a branch focused on IT…if you're not comfortable with the IT work (or you don't have an IT background), you need to talk to the right people (your counselor if you have one) and get shifted. Tell them that you don't really understand the work you're doing and that you would be better suited doing business-related tasks.

However, based on what you've told me, it does NOT sound like you're anywhere near getting the ax. That's my opinion, of course…I'm certainly not a fortune teller so take it for what it's worth. At big 4, the only way you're going to get fired is if you commit some sort of fraud (expense reimbursement and the like) or you're incredibly lazy. If you're not lazy and you're asking questions, you'll probably be around for awhile. One guy at my firm was asking questions like, “what's accrual accounting?” and he's been around for over a year. I think you're o.k. lol

[Whatdidyou]

Yeah, I agree. If you know it is not for you, and you can get something lined up. go ahead and leave.

You can easily ask your 2nd year or senior how you are doing (ie informal feedback) if you are concerned. Big 4 also often give you a buddy and/or a counselor to talk to.

I think it is normal for 1st years to feel like they don't know what they are doing (especially for someone in IT audits who has no IT experience). And generally, seniors, managers and partners, know that the learning curve is steep and some people learn faster than others. I agree that I don't think you'll get cut unless you're lazy, have a bad attitude, and/or don't work as hard as everyone else.

“Well, I have been told a couple of times that I have been working really slow. I spend a lot of time trying to figure out things by myself even if I ask others, it takes me a lot of time to really understand the info”

If you r taking forever to figure something out, ask your senior. Chances are they would prefer you to ask them a question instead of spin your wheels and/or try to figure it out forever and then blow the budget. For complicated stuff, have them walk through it first for you.

Tell your senior you feel like it is taking you a while to figure some stuff out, and how long they would like you to try to figure it out before you ask them for help. Some seniors with say 15 minutes, others will has half an hour.

And remember you are only 3 months in, for every new engagement you will get better and/or more confident.

REG - Passed!!
BEC - Passed
FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed

Study Materials: Becker basic course

[Anonymous]

Thank you, I appreciate your answers. I feel like nothing I learned in school really prepared me for this. I will try to survive one busy season and see how it goes.

[Marivy22]

Sounds to me that you are surrounded by a group of “expert” and you are feeling a little behind……..As long as you are learning something new every day and completing your job, everything is going to be fine.

You have been there for 3 mos (and counting) and still learning. Take the time to learn and look at what others are doing that might help you in the future (without neglecting your assignments).

Done 😉
Class of 2012!!!!
Lots of prayers and hard work....

[surfer4life949]

I'd just wait it out. During my internship, I had literally no clue what i was doing and I was asking as many questions as possible without driving my associate buddy and senior completely up the wall.I still didn't really know what I did (although it's becoming a little more clear as I take more coursework/study for the CPA about auditing). I'm moving to advisory, and I'll probably be doing a combo of IT/Internal Audit and (hopefully) a couple of business/finance based advisory projects. If you don't like the work you're doing, wait it out a little longer to see if things start clicking and you become more comfortable with it. If after a few more months (4-6) you still hate/don't know wtf you're doing, ask to move to another area. My senior told me she didn't know the purpose of what she was doing until 2 fulls years of working in audit!

B-85 OCT 2012
A-84 NOV 2012
R-90 JAN 2013
F-89 AUG 2012
Ethics-92 (3rd try)

I am DONE BABY!!!
Used Roger 2012 + Wiley + NINJA Notes

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the support people. It has now been 10 months and I am still struggling with my job and the public accounting culture. I was just threatened by my manager that I would be let go if I don't pick up. The problem on this project was that it was heavily focused on a software that I had only some experience with. I kept on gettinf review notes on why I was using last years queries , so I spent time researching which caused me to be overbudget. Also there was a flip flop from the manager on what he wanted for another document. He told us at first not to follow last years approach, then when we submitted for review he wanted it the same way as before. Then I was given other tasks which were not in my original budget. At the end of the day I was over budget by more than half of my original time and of that variance more than half of it was due to the additional work that was not in my scope at the start. So in reality I was overbudget by 20% of my allotted time. The manager said that my quality of work was pretty bad too. I am just wondering if I should just leave public accounting altogether. I know a little bit better about what I should be doing, but I don't want to be doing this kind of work anymore. I wonder if I could even find a financial analyst kind of job in industry with my experience since I don't even have financial audit experience.

[henryv]

Thanks for your input darknight. I just like to ask if you are being supervised when doing an engagement once or you'll be thrown out in the jungle without any input of advice or training? If it is the latter, I would hate your job.

FAR - 92 02/2013
AUD - 90 05/2013
REG - 85 10/2013
BEC - 80 12/2013

I'M DONE. THANK YOU LORD!

[Anonymous]

Well, its funny the firm sent us for mandarory training about what we should be doing exactly 10 months after we started. I was being supervised but the senior and the manager are not technical IT experts either so they have a lot review notes.

[henryv]

They should have done that before the engagement or maybe overall they are also picking up from scratch, hence the mandatory training took into effect after some months.

FAR - 92 02/2013
AUD - 90 05/2013
REG - 85 10/2013
BEC - 80 12/2013

I'M DONE. THANK YOU LORD!

[Author]

Replies