[Weallmustbecrazy]

So I have been at a Big 4 firm for a year now and I absolutely hate it. It is so incredibly boring, it is so incredibly stressful, and to be completely honest, it is so incredibly pointless. At the end of the day, I just feel like I looked at other people’s creations and I don’t have much to show for it. Everyone seems more interested in audit than I am. At trainings, I couldn’t care less to learn more. I don’t take down notes on how to move up quicker and the ratings don’t matter to me. I just truly don’t care. I don’t mind long hours and I don’t mind hard work, but I have to somewhat enjoy or see a point to my work and I absolutely do not. I feel like this job is truly making me depressed and just not how I see my life going. I care more about having a life full of friends and a happy family with a decent job than being super successful and sacrificing the other areas. I hate not ever knowing what time I am getting off and if I have “that weekend” free. I hate always going to new and different clients because I feel like I am always starting over and I can’t get comfortable.

I know alot of these items seem to be things that don’t seem like a big deal or might be a plus, but it just truly isn’t a personality fit. In saying that, why is Big 4 such an important job to have. I understand they are prestigous but in the same sense, even if I stayed another year, I basically know how to tick and tie and how to roll forward documents. When looking at requirements for other jobs, I don’t seem to have much valuable experience. Is staying another year really a necessity if I am this miserable and I am basically going to just learn how to tick and tie inventory and fixed assets? I think my time would be much better spent in learning how to put together documents instead of auditing them.

I don’t want to knock anyone who is in public accounting and loves it. I totally understand having a passion and liking this lifestyle but it is so clearly not for me. Am I committing career suicide by leaving after a year or can I still have a good job by going a different accounting route? (I am a licensed CPA now) Do you regret leaving too early or staying too long? When you look at people to hire, will someone with 2 years of Big 4 beat someone with 4 years of industry experience?

Thanks fellow ninjas!

FAR:82
BEC:75
REG:77
AUD:89

[tomq04]

My understanding (no big 4 experience) is that year is a bare minimum. My personal mantra is that no career is worth depression, physical ailments, and missing out on what really matters (only you can answer that).

Time to start applying.

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[How many letters do you need]

Agreed! It's clearly not right for you and that's ok. I've considered big4 advisory type roles and they seem like they could be interesting but they can keep their audit and tax roles where you end up getting less than minimum wage if calculated by the hour (No offense to all of you A71ers out there in those roles….The work is necessary out there, just not for me).

I would check out corporate….accounting or even a junior financial analyst type role. I've noticed some interesting jobs in entry level real estate analysis popping up as well. The last type of role probably won't pay more or have better hours but it sure is interesting work (to me). Whatever you decide…Do some digging and start the process because you are clearly miserable and nobody should have to deal with that 60+ hrs a week…

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Anonymous]

Try to hang on for another year.

I don't have Big 4 experience, since I spent my 20s and early 30s in the Army. I would think of your Big 4 time as paying your dues. If you were a greek in college, then you understand that pledging sucked. The 4-6 months of pledging a fraternity/sorority is now more like 2 years in the adult/work world.

10 years from now, employers will be all over your 2 years of Big 4 experience.

[acamp]

Where are you heading, what are you trying to do?

If you are thinking of heading off into a different area, sure, but going into a staff accountant position in corporate wouldn't be a great move. The bigger doors open after a busy season of senior and a busy season of manager; if you can slug it out and senior a busy season you get exposure to running a team (supervising), managing an engagement, dealing directly with the client over difficult issues, dealing directly with managers and partners over difficult issues , etc, really broadens your experience.

Now this might not persuade you, and thats not exactly my intention, its just you already made it to Big4, maybe if you focused on end game and not the work at hand will help your longevity. So is ticking and tying some stupid thing giving any value to anything?! Yes, with time its adding value to your options, which will let you leave into a position where you're the one preparing the stuff for the auditors at much better pay and way less hours.

I get this lovely email that a recruiter sends monthly which outlines open positions, what experience they want and what they pay. I'm sure its helped keep me in public LOL

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

[Anonymous]

I spent 2 years at a Big 4 firm and realized that it wasn't for me. I also say stick it out for another year. I found that there are tons of networking opportunities (I left my firm 10 years ago and have tons of contacts that I can reach out to when needed). Also, keep in mind that your first year at ANY company will not be giving you the “big stuff”. You need to walk before you can run.

[Mayo]

Stay two years and leave for a Financial Analyst position.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[RIST]

I have seen countless people go through just what you have. Big 4 = HORRIBLE. I know only 1 person that actually seems to like it, and I think it is because she is in LOVE with money and Big 4 = Big raises and a strong base salary.

I often suggest students go to the big industry firms in the local area. It is SO DIFFERENT.

One student went as far to tel me she feels like one of the family. She has low enough stress to consider starting a family as well. The starting salaries are about 5 grand lower, and unfortunately the raises are tiny, but the job is amazing. If I were too do it again I'd strongly consider skipping the public accounting route 🙂

[WeWillSee]

Public Accoutning is more than just the Big 4. I work at a medium sized regoinal firm and I love it. I have had experience in tax and audit, though I prefer tax and have chosen to do that going foward, and experience in multiple different industries that my firm services. I've done a total of 3 year end audits and completed most of the field work and prepared financial statements for two of them. I've been given a lot of responsibility with my tax work as well, a lot more than I imagined I would have for being second year staff. During busy season we have hour requirements, but it isn't unusual for everyone to be working at home after 6pm, and on weekends, on your own terms (as long as your work is getting done and you're fulfilling the hour requirements).

There really isn't much mircomanaging as long as your being responsible for yourself and your work, and people normally don't have a problem if you have to leave early one day and want to work later the rest of the week, or however you want to work it out. If we can be flexible for them, then they will be flexible for us.

As far as pay goes, one of my friends here recevied an offer from one of the Big 4 firms at the same time she received an offer from my firm. Our firm offered her more, and the benefits are decent.

There is a way to stay in public accounting, have a life and still make money. My firm is well know and respected in this area, so I don't think that I am sacrificing my career for having a life and a seemingly much less stressful work environment. Most of the managers and partners started their careers at the Big 4, so I still have connections through them.

If you don't think public accounting is not for you, that's fine because it isn't for everyone, but you don't have to give up everything to get the experience.

[dpad124]

I just want to make a suggestion. If you stay in public or not, this will help you.

Keep a positive attitude as it will help you enjoy what you're doing.

From the beginning, it seemed like you didn't care and you weren't interested. So, of course you don't like it.

BEC Oct2014 - 85
AUD Jan2015 - ??
REG Feb2015 - ??
FAR May2015 - ??

[tomq04]

@dpad, now you're getting to the heart of the issue. People don't come to forums looking for truth.

:0

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[Weallmustbecrazy]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! You are right. There is no job worth doing if it makes you depressed! It is great to bounce my thoughts off on other people who are in the profession and have more knowledge about this industry than I do.

@DPAD – I actually came in with a very positive attitude. I was excited about the opportunity and felt very lucky to get a position with “The big 4”. I only sound so jaded now because I have been through a year of doing something that makes my life miserable. I knew what to expect going in but I just didn't realize how much I wouldn't like it. I truly wanted this to be my career path because of the money and prestige but I can't put myself through something I hate for either of those things.

FAR:82
BEC:75
REG:77
AUD:89

[tomq04]

I promise when you move on you will “wake up” and never regret you're choice. Everyone is happy when they pick their Life over career.

You only live once. Do what you love, but do try and make enough money to survive 🙂

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[Anonymous]

@weall I left public accounting for the same reasons- I was so miserable and I truly hated it. I decided to leave after a year and a half, which people may view as a bad career move but I don't really care. I don't necessarily love my job right now but it's hardly any stress, I have time to work out, I don't work overtime, I have a lot of flexibility, and I'm not miserable anymore.

I definitely had a last straw moment in public accounting. I was having migraines every single day from the stress and no amount of advil or tylenol would do anything for them. I finally made an appointment with a neurologist after dealing with them for 6 months and he had an opening two weeks later, on a Monday, which happened to me my fifth week out of town on the schedule. I emailed my senior manager asking if the job could be moved from Mon-Wed, to Tues-Thurs (I was senioring the job) and she completely freaked and accused me of interviewing a for a job and how inappropriate it was to move a client because of a job interview. She had absolutely no basis for saying that and I worked my ass off for that company. I mean, I traveled 50% of the year and once was out of town for 8 weeks in a row. Two weeks later, I found my current job and quit public accounting.

[Anonymous]

Oh and guess what? After I left public accounting, I hardly ever get headaches anymore. Best decision I've ever made.

[impska]

I work in a smaller office for a national firm (not Big 4). I've had both tax and audit experience. It's been interesting. The turnover is just as high, because people move on to better opportunities in industry, even here. Are you going to be the CFO of Coca Cola with Top-20 experience instead of Big 4? Nope. But you can be the CFO of a major regional company. And that's as good as most Big 4 folks get.

Ultimately, I plan on opening my own tax firm. So I never saw how Big 4 would be helpful experience-wise.

What they have, though, is great marketing. Man, they were good. I was almost tempted away by a Big 4 job offer. I had to shake myself and remind myself that it really wasn't in line with my career goals.

If I were you, I'd try to make the move into industry now. I don't see the point of waiting another year.

REG - 94
BEC - 92
FAR - 92
AUD - 99

[Author]

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