show 10 more Finished 3 year ACA with PwC Audit Dept - ask me anything BIG 4 Advice: TS vs Audit, London vs Regional, Service Lines etc. Leaving Big 4 after 1 year. I'm considering a lot of different options, including working for the government, a private company, a regional CPA firm, or a nonprofit. She’s used her Big 4 experience to become a mentor in the company, and is recognized as a top … Our … I know me leaving will be a total shock and really screw some people over. #5 Report 3 years ago #5 (Original post by … This thread is archived. I'm 30 years old and have been working as a state auditor for 7 years. share. My friend got a 45% raise after he left big 4 with only 1.5 years of experience. Vote. I would like to quit and focus on job search since its really hard to do both as I am travelling all the time. I’m just not down to throw away my life for crap money and tons of stress. Steam featured items sales page. I really want to get out, but I also don’t want to screw myself over. Well, almost no reason to leave. I recommend staying for 2 years.I left after 2 years without making senior. I currently work at a big 4 firm in a large US city. I'm very happy I made the switch. Also, companies have different standards on what it takes to become a Senior or Manager. Worth saying the big 4 hire a huge number of grads, and everyone gets a different experience. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Posted by 1 minute ago. Log In Sign Up. You must note that some firms prefer candidates that stayed with the Big 4 for quite some time. I make about 73k a year. As a first year we’re the most replaceable. I love it! Top 50 to big 4? Many Big 4 professionals grow weary of making a move based on common misconceptions either about their Big 4 journey or about what to expect from an industry role. So we have a 6 case minimum per week and I have not been able to reach the minimum. Leaving Big 4 audit after just 1 year- consequences? Just my 2 cents . 2 weeks at the start, 6 months if you are at the top. Should I use an experienced resume or college resume? Just make sure you take something you really want and be picky. In fact, it enhances it. There's plenty of people that'll go through a big 4 training contract without ever touching 12 hour days. Anyways how much would my market value be once I leave for … Press J to jump to the feed. Has anybody left Big 4 Tax after one year and been happy with their decision? I also find the culture over all to be much more flexible and friendly. In the interim I got a job … A little about me: I'm a tax associate at one of the Big 4 in a major US metro area and I'm a licensed CPA. Keep looking and you will find something that fits you! Frankly I got my year end rating as 4, although all my project evaluations were 3. It's definitely a mistake, but not my own. Rep:? I haven’t left PA yet so I am working while looking. Meanwhile each day at work is a depressing day. Anything less, you risk looking like someone who couldn't cut it. I think that is about it, you think you would miss more about the Big 4, but after leaving big 4, I don't think I had a single regret about leaving like career progression and what not. Some are fine though. I was also just notified that I would be working on back to back busy seasons and that pushed me over the edge. I'm not sure what I want to do for my career, but I know I don't want to make a career out of public accounting. WikiJob. Leaving was the best thing I ever did. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Although I guess it depends on where you live and how many alternatives you have. Resume. Consulting is far better in terms of repetitive tasks, so see if you can get a transfer in the department? By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. If you answer honestly, you can get positions that fit your criteria. Leaving Big 4 after 1 year of experience and right before busy season. I have to say that I was treated very well and was well liked by other interns, seniors, and managers. #1 Report Thread starter 7 years ago #1 Hi I have done just over a year at a Big 4 firm in London. I don't know what to do. Heck, there were some that left after three or four months. So i’m leaving after 1… All Career Horoscopes Aquarius Aries Cancer Capricorn Gemini Leo Libra Pisces Sagittarius Scorpio Taurus Virgo. I'm very happy I made the switch. Take what you’ve learned and use it to help the companies that can’t afford $400/hr consultants. I was also just notified that I would be working on back to back busy seasons and that pushed me over the edge. I'm a Corporate Controller of a public company after only several years since graduation (I left Big 4 as a Mgr.). Response 1 of 4: Depends on career level. With my new job at a small local firm (in which I moved to a much better city for), I'll rarely have to travel, and busy season will be much more tolerable. Career Personalities. You’re Tired of Working Late. I just started reaching out to recruiters and browsing LinkedIn for potential jobs. My friend got a 45% raise after he left big 4 with only 1.5 years of experience. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider leaving the Big Four. One employee … One thing is true though - you gain technical experience … Anything more is up to you. Many of my colleagues left Big 4 accounting after their first year. They might be a little annoyed but once they have a new person they’ll forget you ever existed. While you’ll still have to put in a lot of hours of work to prep, market, and sell your home, a payout like this seems much more in line with the amount of work necessary. Once you leave you can’t go back Watch. There were instances when others would come up to me trying to impress me because they thought I was a partner. My rule of thumb for Big 4 peeps is stay for at least 2 years. start new discussion closed. I never really liked audit after my internship, but took the offer because it felt like the best decision I could make at the time. Big 4 Boomerang: The One Who Left Too Soon by ... then I think leaving at two years is a mistake. Primarily for accountants and aspiring accountants to learn about and discuss their career choice. At the end of day, its really up to you anyway. If you do, you will be without a job for a while without unemployment checks. 1) The 10+ year managers and partners who are assholes. I hope you started looking for a replacement gig a while ago, otherwise you might be working busy season, but I left PA for the same reason you want to. 0. reply. My salary is the same as my starting Big 4 salary, and work life balance is wonderful. People do it all the … Maybe I'm just looking for some sort of self-validation, but is it possible to leave the Big 4 before making senior associate and having a career in tax (or switching to financial accounting - very open to this) with good work-life balance, decent earning potential (60k+ within a year or two), at least semi-interesting work, and opportunities for advancement? 2. Hi it was a tough choice between tax and audit but I decided to go with tax at a big four starting in January, if I don’t like it after a year or two is it possible to switch from tax to audit. The recruiter I spoke with is hopeful something will come up before busy season officially starts, but maybe I’m just dreaming. When it comes to work-life balance, they typically score low on employee satisfaction surveys. If you love the life of working at a Big 4, there’s no reason you have to leave. I am sure anyone who has done MFI knows how tedious and repetitive it can be (I do several different case types). I moved to a private company and a financial analyst role. Be careful with that route, just make sure your getting what you want, and be honest with it. Go to first unread Skip to page: This discussion is closed. I have discovered that I hate audit work. I left Big 4 tax after less than a year. Big 4 isn’t the … While a good job is a challenging one, there is a limit. If they don't like the "work-life balance" answer it's because they have none. Fast forward a couple of years and looking at where they are, I'd say most have since been promoted to a senior position. I guess it’s too soon to tell where we’ll ultimately end up, but it seems hard to imagine we will regret these decisions. I’ve gotten to the point where I just can’t handle this job any longer. I know it’s common for audit to tax but never really head of tax to audit. I just want to go to industry but that might take some time. Selling a house after 2 years makes a lot more sense than selling after 1 year, or after six months. The unfortunate thing is I just started looking since I felt a lot of pressure to stay. I just started reaching out to recruiters and browsing LinkedIn for potential jobs. hide. That "quite some time" to me is minimum of 2 years. I mean, if your a good performer and are leaving B4, the question is going to be "Why so soon". Any advice is greatly appreciated! I’ve heard some Big 4… Any recommendations on how to avoid these “shitty” jobs. This is NOT for me," get out sooner rather than later. I found that I liked the work I was doing, but hated the hours and excessive travel. My original plan was to put in 2-3 years then transition into industry. We offer free demos on new arrivals so you can review the item before purchase. I had an internship in mergers and acquisitions prior to working at the Big 4 and truly … Press J to jump to the feed. Advice and questions welcome. 1. At least look into it before going to industry or government. Enjoyed it in my 20’s. Although I guess it depends on where you live and how many alternatives you have. save. My salary is the same as my starting Big 4 salary, and work life balance is wonderful. I left recently after 1.5 years for a boutique IB. I’m just not down to throw away my life … I am in a somewhat larger market and LinkedIn constantly has postings for position in my area. I’ve been at the Big 4 for about 7 months now (IT audit). Advice and questions welcome. I switched careers at age 45 and got an internship with Big 4 last year. If you aren’t going to be partner, get the hell out.In a 2016 research paper published by the University of Tennessee, the authors outline average earnings through age 37 for CPAs in the following buckets:1) Never leave public 2) Leave after senior 3) Leave after managerNo surprise that those choosing to stay in public can expect to earn $ Why Audit at a Big 4 Was the Best Decision I … I currently work at a Big 4 and my current engagement is with a huge insurance company doing Mortgage Fraud Investigations. Tax to audit after 1 year. At least 1.5 years with big 4 + a CPA should be good enough. Regionals are usually not that much better so far as work life balance goes. 4) The nice constant paycheck. Maybe I'm just getting really burned out, but I've really come to value my time and want a career that offers good work/life balance, even if my earnings potential is less now and in the future. Search our site for the best deals on games and software. I love it! At 26 I left a Big 4 firm for industry with 1 year PQ experience and netted an accounting role in a Group Finance team for a well known company. The Big Four are notorious for their late nights. My worry is that leaving after one year isn’t enough experience and that leaving right before busy season will burn all the bridges I have built over my year at the firm. At the same time I can feel my mental health fading as busy season quickly approaches. 1. Chartered accountant pathway Is it worth waiting for Big 4 offer? Vote. I have no desire to learn future tasks expected of me and I don't want that to be my attitude towards my career. Rep:? I personally left the Big 4 after 2 years and it doesn't affect any of my subsequent applications to other companies. She completed her CPA and has spent the last two years in a hands-on role learning financial reporting, month-end close and all of the other tasks that you are looking for your Manager to supervise. Whether you joined a Big 4 as a springboard for your career or were set on making partner, we generally advise professionals to make a move around three to six years of experience, in order not to leave either too early or too far into their Big 4 career. Primarily for accountants and aspiring accountants to learn about and discuss their career choice. Marie-Astrid Carlier, Associate Director at Robert Walters and former Big 4 professional, clarifies 4 myths about leaving the Big 4. In your case, I think you jumped too soon, so going back wouldn't kill you, especially since being a Big 4 boomerang isn't "unthinkable" as you put it. Hey everyone, I'm a recent college grad and accepted an offer to work in Big 4 audit, starting this fall. OPTION 1: STAYING. 15 years at a big four. Mid tier, private, small firms, government - figure out what might interest you and try it, your career is early enough that basically throwing away 3 or 5 years trying something is easier to do. I'll take 60 hours a week Feb-April (and getting to bank the OT hours as extra vacation time) than working 70-80 hours a week, some times 90-100 and only get a "war story to tell" from it. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Just make sure you are leaving for an actually better opportunity, you don’t want to put yourself in a similar situation again just because you are trying to escape ASAP. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. That said, if you're one of those of people saying, "Holy shit. ), I'd have to make around $400k per year in Manhattan. What I don't miss . 100% Upvoted. I’ve gotten to the point where I just can’t handle this job any longer. And better yet, if you make sure to own for a full two years, you can exempt your capital gains. Leaving the Big 4 after just 9 months - options? Well, one thing is for sure, especially in this current job market with more shutdowns looming-- do NOT leave without something lined up. User account menu. Leaving Big 4/Transferring between service lines after 1 year in Audit Top 50 to big 4? Cookies help us deliver our Services. Speaking from my regional experience, Not only are regional hours much easier than B4 in busy season, if there ever is a huge influx of work, a lot of times our staff and seniors will still only be at the office/client from 8-6 or so, and maybe just punch a 5 or 6 hours out at home whenever necessary during the week. To have the same standard of living as my current market (think Dallas, Denver, etc. I left after 1 year and they found someone to replace me within 2 weeks so don’t worry about leaving before busy season. It is common knowledge that in the Big 4, Audit and Tax are mindnumbingly boring and many people leave after 2/3 years, hence why their graduate schemes take on so many people. Oxbridge masters vs PwC grad job + ACA The truth about Audit at the Big 4 Busy season as a Big 4 … How long does it usually take to get a job? This is because their hours are long, and they tend to demand a lot. Response 1 of 4: I'm leaving after a year too. So i’m leaving after 1.5 years at the Big4. I guess I feel trapped where I'm at because I don't want the past year of hard work to have gone to waste, but I really want to move on if possible. I'm looking for advice on what accounting positions are out there for someone who's considering leaving the Big 4 a little after one year. At least 1.5 years with big 4 + a CPA should be good enough. I moved to a private company and a financial analyst role. Audit partner comp non big 4? Now i don't feel like working extra hard. My pay on joining was just over £50k + 10-20% bonus and I agonised over the salary for the longest time because, like you, I was aware that there are roles out there than could pay £10k more. Why Audit at a Big 4 Was the Best Decision I Could Have Made For My Career. How hard is the Audit to IB path? I would suggest a smaller firm. Pros: Excellent benefits, pension, 40 hour work weeks … ENFJ ENFP ENTJ ENTP ESFJ ESFP ESTJ ESTP INFJ INFP INTJ INTP ISFJ ISFP ISTJ ISTP. That's based on my Yr. 1 compensation as a Corporate Controller. Philip-flop Badges: 18. I got a 20% raise and a senior role in industry and in banking as well.I doubt if I left after a year I would earn as much.One year realy just flies by its a short time but a world of difference. I was hired at the end of the internship for a start date this fall. Progressing outside of a firm is totally dependent upon what company you work for. July 23, 2013 at 1… It has been a valuable experience but I feel like I want out now. I left Big 4 tax after less than a year. Press J to jump to the feed. Just accepted Big 4 Audit- worried about future prospects Career Advice Big 4 Audit vs M&A healthcare company I also find the culture over all to be much more flexible and friendly. However, during my internship last summer, a co-worker told me that the whole "put in your 2-3 years and leave" thing is a waste of time. Better money elsewhere (partially due to my former employment at a big four) but also I left with a lot of experience. Ultimately though, what I opted to do is prioritise … Career Horoscopes. The answer is not so clear-cut, as it will vary on each person’s situation and their goals. Destiny_808 Badges: 0. 4 comments . Candidate B – This person left Big 4 public accounting after two busy seasons. Advice. 3. There are three people on my team, … I'm starting to become very unhappy, and my quality of life is taking a major turn for the worse. 31 votes, 20 comments. Close. report.