Quitting after 3 months in Big 4?

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    Topic
  • #181823
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hey everyone,

    I’m a first year working in external audit in Big 4 in the greater nyc area, and to put it frankly, I hate it. I’ve been assigned to a new client for about 3 weeks now, and everything I’ve done has been a train wreck. From control wlakthroughs to substantive testing, I’m not getting it at all. Aside from the client being new and not having PY workpapers to go off of, I don’t feel like the team likes me. It takes me a very long time to do everything and I’ve had to work this weekend to get caught up (it’s only interim, and not busy season)

    I don’t know who to turn to for advice, as no one in my immediate family has worked in the field. I feel horrible about myself,

    I hit the snooze button everyday and dread waking up, and I usually don’t get home until 9 (commute is long and having to stay late doesn’t help). I have anxiety attacks thinking about going into work tomorrow. To be honest, I want to cry when I get home at night, but I don’t want my parents to be upset.

    I did well in college, graduated with honors from a good business school, interned with the big 4 firm I work with now, got inducted into the business honors society, the whole nine. Since I’ve been on this client, I feel like an idiot most of the time and question everything I worked so hard for in school.

    I really want to put in my two weeks notice and go back to college and do an MS in accounting or something business, and finish up the cpa. I really don’t think public accounting or auditing is for me, but I don’t have the experience to land a job in industry right now. My parents tell me to stick out until a job offer comes my way, but at this rate I don’t think I can make it, I feel like I’m losing touch with who I am as a person, I haven’t felt like me since I started.

    Any advice? Will quitting only 3 months in come back to bite me later on in my career? Is there a way I can tell HR I wanted to go back to school without it making it look like I hate the job?

    I would never be open in this forum about my life, but I really don’t know who to go to.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 134 total)
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  • #479024
    Tncincy
    Participant

    I am sorry your experience has not been a pleasant one, but I would ask questions of the senior person in charge. If you are on the assignment alone, ask a senior person at the office. I personally wouldn't quit until I know I have gotten the help needed. Almost everywhere you go people are intimidated by the new person, so don't dwell on the team not liking you get in there and ask for help. We know the saying: the only dumb question is the one that is not asked. If you don't get any help then quit, but I think it's too early I am sure there is someone there that can take you under their training wings.

    It begins with a 75
    Been here too long as a cheerleader.....time to pass

    It begins with a 75
    Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

    #479034
    Tncincy
    Participant

    I am sorry your experience has not been a pleasant one, but I would ask questions of the senior person in charge. If you are on the assignment alone, ask a senior person at the office. I personally wouldn't quit until I know I have gotten the help needed. Almost everywhere you go people are intimidated by the new person, so don't dwell on the team not liking you get in there and ask for help. We know the saying: the only dumb question is the one that is not asked. If you don't get any help then quit, but I think it's too early I am sure there is someone there that can take you under their training wings.

    It begins with a 75
    Been here too long as a cheerleader.....time to pass

    It begins with a 75
    Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

    #479025
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I would stay for at least a year your are bound to get the hang of it eventually everyone feels stupid at their first job. I would kill for a big 4 job back when I couldn't break into the field. I was working 7 days a week in retail doing stuff obviously nothing to do with accounting with no hope in site of me ever getting to use my masters. Also think you feel stupid at your job? I was messing up left and right and getting yelled at by 18 year old kids who were my supervisors at my retail jobs. I would have killed just to have gotten one weekend off at some point also so I don't have much sympathy for people who work weekends.

    I also have no clue how you got hired for by big 4 with just a bachelors in accounting. Do you have 150 credits some other way? Though I don't know how much big 4 care about hiring cpas because when I told them I passed 3 parts of the CPA exam they always seemed indifferent.

    #479036
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I would stay for at least a year your are bound to get the hang of it eventually everyone feels stupid at their first job. I would kill for a big 4 job back when I couldn't break into the field. I was working 7 days a week in retail doing stuff obviously nothing to do with accounting with no hope in site of me ever getting to use my masters. Also think you feel stupid at your job? I was messing up left and right and getting yelled at by 18 year old kids who were my supervisors at my retail jobs. I would have killed just to have gotten one weekend off at some point also so I don't have much sympathy for people who work weekends.

    I also have no clue how you got hired for by big 4 with just a bachelors in accounting. Do you have 150 credits some other way? Though I don't know how much big 4 care about hiring cpas because when I told them I passed 3 parts of the CPA exam they always seemed indifferent.

    #479027
    tough_kitty
    Member

    Definitely too early to quit!! I felt stupid in my first months on the job too and it wasn't even in public accounting so I was like wth!?! But you get used to it after awhile. You learn. Try to look at it as a challenge and learn! Especially now when you are studying for the AUD exam!! I think the only reason you are thinking about quitting is because you still live with your parents. While it's cool that you can do it, imagine what you'd do if you had no one to rely on but yourself. Job market is bad, there are hundreds of people who would love to get a job with big 4. Don't waste your opportunity to learn while you are also getting paid for it AND earning your work experience for the CPA license!

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

    #479038
    tough_kitty
    Member

    Definitely too early to quit!! I felt stupid in my first months on the job too and it wasn't even in public accounting so I was like wth!?! But you get used to it after awhile. You learn. Try to look at it as a challenge and learn! Especially now when you are studying for the AUD exam!! I think the only reason you are thinking about quitting is because you still live with your parents. While it's cool that you can do it, imagine what you'd do if you had no one to rely on but yourself. Job market is bad, there are hundreds of people who would love to get a job with big 4. Don't waste your opportunity to learn while you are also getting paid for it AND earning your work experience for the CPA license!

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

    #479029
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    big 4's dont require masters only you to be cpa eligible….

    #479040
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    big 4's dont require masters only you to be cpa eligible….

    #479031
    tough_kitty
    Member

    All big 4 firms hire people right out of college with a bachelor degree. That's a standard.

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

    #479042
    tough_kitty
    Member

    All big 4 firms hire people right out of college with a bachelor degree. That's a standard.

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

    #479033
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    “I also have no clue how you got hired for by big 4 with just a bachelors in accounting.”

    Why would you think otherwise?

    #479044
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    “I also have no clue how you got hired for by big 4 with just a bachelors in accounting.”

    Why would you think otherwise?

    #479035
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    How is a bachelors degree CPA eligible? In NY you need 150 credit hours! And if he is already CPA eligible what the hell is the point of getting an MS in accounting. Nothing is adding up, my head is spinning just contemplating the amount of contradictions in this crazy wild thread.

    #479046
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    How is a bachelors degree CPA eligible? In NY you need 150 credit hours! And if he is already CPA eligible what the hell is the point of getting an MS in accounting. Nothing is adding up, my head is spinning just contemplating the amount of contradictions in this crazy wild thread.

    #479037
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @accounting is my LIFO , i felt you. I thought big four was my career. But I hated it! There's no life in my group. The utilization rate they use is just throwing me off.I had anxiety attacks when I went to work. I didn't like most of the people in my group, and I quit from big four. Life is much better now. I think if you are sure that public accounting/audit is not your thing, you can definitely try do a MS accounting and finish your CPA. Thats'a big plus for you to go to industry later on!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 134 total)
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