[Anonymous]

After going through a tough recruiting season, I was able to get two offers. I thank God for giving me these opportunities:

Ist Offer:

Pros:

– Small firm

– Starting salary 55k

– CPA Exam pass bonus: 3k

– Vacation: 5.5 weeks

– Huge growth opportunities

– Benefits package is great

– Profit sharing

– Potential for 5-12% bonus each year based on performance

– I can start anytime before January

– Nice people and family atmosphere

– Work/life balance is achievable

– Raises each year based on performance

Cons:

– Niche market specialization

– Harder to obtain partner in small firms compared to Big4

– Resume recognition is not obvoius

– Inability to expand to other industries

2nd Offer:

Pros:

– Big 4 firm

– Various market specializations

– Starting salary 52k

– CPA Exam pass bonus: 5k

– Vacation: 5 weeks

– Eligible for variable compensation if rated 1,2 or 3 regardless of years of experience

– Raises each year based on performance

Cons:

– Benefits package is okay, for some of the good benefits you will have to wait about 3yrs to vest

– Start in August or October 2014: I would rather not stay at my current job for any longer

– Work/life balance is non-existent with all Big4s

– I have to pay for parking

My Criteria/Priorities with rank on a scale of 1-10 (10 been most important):

– Work life balance – 9

– Performance should be easily recognized – 6.5

– Opportunity for growth – 10

– Resume recognition in case in the future I want to return to the corporate world – 7.5

– Opportunity to travel out of the country – 5

– Opportunity to gain experience relatively quickly and not get stuck doing “cash” for a whole year – 8

– Salary with good benefits – 9

– Firm must provide bonuses and raises – 9

– I want to start my accounting career ASAP – 8

– Family commitments and want to stay involved with the family – 10

I am actually equally leaning towards both offers.

Any thoughts?

[nbad311]

Congrats on the offers! Sounds like you got the best of both worlds – big 4 and small firms – and you have obviously done some thinking about the pros and cons of each. Do you have a leaning towards one or the other? Big 4 is obviously good for a resume, if you don't plan to stay at the Big 4 firm forever. However, work/life balance sometimes suffers big time at a big/public firm. Keep that in mind if you have a family or other outside-work commitments that you want to stay involved in! So basically…… no concrete answer from me! Best of luck to you 🙂

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[nbad311]

Congrats on the offers! Sounds like you got the best of both worlds – big 4 and small firms – and you have obviously done some thinking about the pros and cons of each. Do you have a leaning towards one or the other? Big 4 is obviously good for a resume, if you don't plan to stay at the Big 4 firm forever. However, work/life balance sometimes suffers big time at a big/public firm. Keep that in mind if you have a family or other outside-work commitments that you want to stay involved in! So basically…… no concrete answer from me! Best of luck to you 🙂

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[finne]

Both seem like good offers. Your choice will depend on how you rank your priorities. For example, if you want work/life balance above all, you might want to go with the smaller firm. But beware, I've heard of some small firms that have even crazier hours and demands than the Big 4. On the other hand, if you really want to do more traveling (seems to contradict work/life balance?) you can probably get more of those travel opportunities from a Big 4 company.

My advice is to go with your gut. Which one are you leaning towards instinctively? Either way, if you decide you don't like a firm, you can always jump ship after a few years once you've gained the experience you want.

REG - 85
AUD - 99
FAR - 89 - w/ NINJA Audio and Blitz
BEC - 91

Using Wiley - books and test bank - 6 months - all 4 first time

[finne]

Both seem like good offers. Your choice will depend on how you rank your priorities. For example, if you want work/life balance above all, you might want to go with the smaller firm. But beware, I've heard of some small firms that have even crazier hours and demands than the Big 4. On the other hand, if you really want to do more traveling (seems to contradict work/life balance?) you can probably get more of those travel opportunities from a Big 4 company.

My advice is to go with your gut. Which one are you leaning towards instinctively? Either way, if you decide you don't like a firm, you can always jump ship after a few years once you've gained the experience you want.

REG - 85
AUD - 99
FAR - 89 - w/ NINJA Audio and Blitz
BEC - 91

Using Wiley - books and test bank - 6 months - all 4 first time

[vanadium3]

I'd suggest a regional firm to start off if possible. You gonna hate the hours either way. It's just big firms are less “personal” compared to small firms. If you are single I'd go with big4. If you have a family I suggest smaller firm.

CPA

[vanadium3]

I'd suggest a regional firm to start off if possible. You gonna hate the hours either way. It's just big firms are less “personal” compared to small firms. If you are single I'd go with big4. If you have a family I suggest smaller firm.

CPA

[lleon]

Its all about your long term goals, and which offer puts you on your best path toward that goal. Congrats and good luck!

Licensed in Arizona

[lleon]

Its all about your long term goals, and which offer puts you on your best path toward that goal. Congrats and good luck!

Licensed in Arizona

[littlenumberrobot]

First off, I am impartial to small firms. I have been at mine for almost 2 years and LOVE it. Work/life balance is amazing. Now for the small firm you say “huge growth opportunities” and yet you mention becoming partner is more difficult than at Big 4. What are the growth opportunities, if not partner? Do you ultimately want to be partner? And 5.5 weeks of vacation?! Whoa is that including sick days? Lastly, how small is small? For example my firm, I know I will never make partner, only one guy runs this place, but I know I will be (and have been) nicely compensated for my achievements within the firm. We have 6 people total and I only get 2 weeks vacation! 1 week “sick”, but we can dip into that if we want for vacation. I'm in central CA.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[littlenumberrobot]

First off, I am impartial to small firms. I have been at mine for almost 2 years and LOVE it. Work/life balance is amazing. Now for the small firm you say “huge growth opportunities” and yet you mention becoming partner is more difficult than at Big 4. What are the growth opportunities, if not partner? Do you ultimately want to be partner? And 5.5 weeks of vacation?! Whoa is that including sick days? Lastly, how small is small? For example my firm, I know I will never make partner, only one guy runs this place, but I know I will be (and have been) nicely compensated for my achievements within the firm. We have 6 people total and I only get 2 weeks vacation! 1 week “sick”, but we can dip into that if we want for vacation. I'm in central CA.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[W_HAMILTON]

aitaly8341, it sounds like work/life balance and being able to be with your family sounds most important to you. Given this, the smaller firm would probably be best; however, if you can suck it up and deal with the rigors of the Big 4 gig for a couple of years, I would say that would be the best option. With two years or so of Big 4 experience behind you, you should be able to easily get in with just about any equivalent or smaller accounting firm. You'll always have that Big 4 experience on your resume and it will open more doors in the future. You can certainly still be very successful with smaller firms, but if you have the opportunity to join a Big 4 to start your career, I don't see how you can pass that up. The hours will suck and you won't be around your family as much, but if you can just get through a couple of years……

REG - 93 (7/30/13)
BEC - 90 (8/19/13)
AUD - 98 (8/31/13)
FAR - 84 (10/19/13)

[W_HAMILTON]

aitaly8341, it sounds like work/life balance and being able to be with your family sounds most important to you. Given this, the smaller firm would probably be best; however, if you can suck it up and deal with the rigors of the Big 4 gig for a couple of years, I would say that would be the best option. With two years or so of Big 4 experience behind you, you should be able to easily get in with just about any equivalent or smaller accounting firm. You'll always have that Big 4 experience on your resume and it will open more doors in the future. You can certainly still be very successful with smaller firms, but if you have the opportunity to join a Big 4 to start your career, I don't see how you can pass that up. The hours will suck and you won't be around your family as much, but if you can just get through a couple of years……

REG - 93 (7/30/13)
BEC - 90 (8/19/13)
AUD - 98 (8/31/13)
FAR - 84 (10/19/13)

[tough_kitty]

I agree with W Hamilton. I'd accept an offer from Big 4 if I got one without thinking twice about it. 2 yrs of hard work (at the very least) and then you can get a 45% raise somewhere else! Provided you get your CPA license as well.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

I agree with W Hamilton. I'd accept an offer from Big 4 if I got one without thinking twice about it. 2 yrs of hard work (at the very least) and then you can get a 45% raise somewhere else! Provided you get your CPA license as well.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[MintsRGood]

I work at a small firm and love it! I'm paid very well, promoted often, and treated with kindness and professionalism on a day to day basis. Yes, I work disgusting hours during busy season (75-85 a week once March hits through April 15th) but I receive a very generous tax season bonus. After the madness of spring tax season, I go down to approx. 50-55 and will gear up again around the September and October deadlines. Keep in mind that I'm the senior so both my hours and salary are commensurate with that! My staff accountants work 60-65 during the height of tax season and stay around 40-45 hours during non tax season.

I love the fact that I'm not just working on “Cash” but I'm consulting with clients, training staff, preparing financial statements, preparing individual/corps/partnerships/trusts/estate returns, I do the technical work paper reviews for financial statements from the staffs, I work directly with the owner every day, I have become the defacto controller, I do tax interviews, and oversee the admin side of the firm as well. Everyday my job is different and I love that! Yes, the area in front of my office at times looks like the deli counter at the grocery store on Sunday (now serving #157 is a constant joke in front of my door) but I wouldn't have it any other way! I feel like I make a difference every day at my job…I know many people at big4/midsize who can't say the same thing!

To your point about no partner advancement at small firms…I'm on track to make partner at my firm once I have a license in hand! And I'm “only” 30. 😉 You can move up in small firms, you just have to be vocal about your desire and back it up with your work ethic.

I understand the temptation about Big 4 but I know it's not a good fit for me! You just have to decide what type of work you want to do and the environment in which you want to do it. Some people love the Big 4 atmosphere and thrive there! If you want to move up the food chain in a fortune 500 company that Big 4+CPA is your ticket to doing that. You're on the right track in assessing what is important to you in your post! Go with your gut…your first instinct is often the best way to go!

Congrats on the multiple offers and let us know what you decided! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Author]

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