Leaving big 4 after 2 years reddit At my big 4 the professional framework upon which we were rated as seniors is different from managers. I expect that I left B4 after 6 months with a couple of interviews and landed a job I LOVE within 3 weeks of leaving. Then went on to do ERP implementations. Or check it out in the app stores I turned in notice recently at a Big 4, leaving to another Big 4 and had to work my last 2 weeks. Leaving big4 after 20 months OP, I left big 4 after 14 months for exactly those reasons. To answer your question, basically 6 months at a big 4 will not really be anything that will add experience on your resume unless it’s an entry level position There are lots grad programmes open/opening applications rn. But yeah, it's not all bad in public, or even big 4. After I left, I did accounting at an View community ranking In the Top 1% of largest communities on Reddit. Generally, I advise people if they can tolerate Big 4 then stay at least 3 years to show you have been in a supervisory role and managed teams. 60 votes, 16 comments. Should those be included in my experience on my resume? So I’m just about halfway through my initial 4 year ADSC from ROTC. Fuck the big 4! Reply reply we might be replaceable but the amount of people leaving big 4 the past year is doing enough to their reputation to I know that the 'typical experience' listed is a few years higher than what it takes to move up if you started as a graduate, which I imagine is being skewed by lateral hires (e. Wanna have better access to f500 jobs, prob a good idea, then leave at senior 1 and be done with it. The people I know who left went to uni and then got jobs in investment banks. I was in the big 4 for years and there is always "something else". So one upside is that the length of your tenure at big 4 does help you for the next job. Leaving after one year robs you of the unique opportunity you have working in a high-profile firm with exposure to multiple high-profile clients. I got an offer for 100k for a senior sec reporting analyst at a big public company. I left to go industry I’m making same pay as them but yea it’s a whole diff game. I started at a big 4 as a senior (leaving my first one after staying for 2 years), and this upcoming September I’ll have my first full year as a senior in international tax . I was sick of the hours in public and was stuck working with some really crappy seniors. My long term career goals is going to law school and potentially working in big law before I would start my own CPA / law firm serving local businesses. I left after only a few years and tripled my pay and get regular and large raises. 5 years now. So jump to private if u want a work life balance. Hmmmm this honestly sounds like a typical big 4 experience. Tell them as much as you're comfortable Cons- you could be spending 5 months elsewhere and need to only wait 1. However, the last month or so has been absolutely horrible. Haha, i had 9 years in audit. Culture is uninspiring, I manage a team of 8 and they’re all lifers, no innovation or forward thinking technologies. Although my team seems pretty good so far, I am feeling very unfulfilled and pretty useless. Specialization is for insects. Hate to break it to OP but public accounting is public accounting whether you’re at a big 4 or small firm. You gave up way too quickly and easily. I used industry experience join leave 1,413,862 readers 191 users here now Discussions on various careers in finance, how to land these careers and the paths to take to get to these careers. I think you’re going to struggle with the realization that promotions (and big money moves) aren’t structured. 1 commercial director (mba) View community ranking In the Top 1% of largest communities on Reddit. reddit's new API changes kill third party apps that offer accessibility features, mod tools, and other features not found in the first party app. Anything less than say 2 years at big 4 - even if you left Ukraine suggests Can't hack big 4 level. Over-hiring would help boosting the morale as it would help reducing the work hours, which I’m guessing are responsible for people reconsidering their life priorities. As long as you phrase your reason for resigning appropriately and research what you want, you'll be fine. Life outside of big 4 is so amazing, I too couldn’t handle the stress/HS bullshit. However, the Big 4 firm I work at is View community ranking In the Top 1% of largest communities on Reddit. I feel completely lost, starting in virtual busy season has left me with no help, everybody has their own things going on. 5 years right out of college. Granted they had their JD. Also due to the churn & burn strategy of big 4 audit, there are tons of hiring managers now that are ex-big 4 and know exactly how much bullshit big 4 audit is. Sort by: My close friend (audit senior at firm for 1. That said, I got this job because of my time with Big4. my salary is significantly higher than it was in audit and It's very possible to move up the ladder at a BIG4 firm if you work hard and put in the long hours. I can't tell you how good I'm I want to quit the big 4 ASAP. Be wary of places that place high emphasis on big 4 experience, they tend to be nearly as bad if not just as bad of work environments. I recently landed an internship at a Big 4 and after spending some time on this sub, big 4 sounds hellish to me and to a lot of people. This whole sub makes me feel hesitant to do public accounting. Lots of FCs and FDs now. I just want to get a feel for success and horror stories from people leaving public accounting/big 4 before making senior. This truly depends on the job. If you left ok good terms, were a good employee while you were here and your skill set area is busy and they need more bodies the It all depends on timing and what’s available at that time. Each role was a pivot and jump in responsibility from my previous role. And there’s no such thing as Big 5 lmao. 2 extra months of job searching is way easier to explain than quitting with nothing lined up after 2 months. I've also been able to 'pay-it-back' by referring several other of my Big 4 colleagues to awesome jobs. I have been working in the big 4 as an auditor for the past 2 years 8 months, currently newly promoted to senior 1 and have finished 10 out of 13 exams (acca). I have friends who made manager this year and they are telling me what it is. The company I'm in is full of lifers who have been here 15+ years, though. Big picture is the market is hot, so jumping isn’t a big deal. Go to the office every Friday your first 2 years. 5 years and went into FP&A. The nice thing about the big 4 is its less like industry in that you are not waiting for someone to leave to have a role open. Sitting at 80k + 12. I'm convinced the biggest strategy for the Big 4 getting past PCAOB inspections is to over-document EVERYTHING. Didn’t take a manager role. I want to hear people's Honestly I don't understand this mentality, past a certain point at least. I was looking at FDD, advisory, consulting, FP&A, anything to get me away from audit and surpisingly I had a difficult time. However, for as much as people hate on the big 4 and say how bad it is, having that name on your resume/CV makes all the difference to hiring managers. A lot of companies like a mix of public and corporate accounting. I've been in the professional IT field for 9. The pay is awful, the hours suck, nobody is grateful, I just hate it. 5 years in IT Audit. Especially 4-5 years ago when the job market wasn't this red hot and salaries were slightly lower across the board. And I've seen on LinkedIn people who started in accounting and ended up in pure finance roles. I even know a guy who did 2 years big 2 -> 2 years finance 28 votes, 35 comments. This leads me to conclude that the hive mind on this sub-reddit definitely has inflated the value of big 4. The caution with Fortune 500 company titles is their structure is very different from Big 4 firms. As long as it’s not a string of <1yr positions, it’s usually understood that that’s how the market goes. What I fortunately ended up being able to fanangle is lying about one of the middle jobs being part of a temp agency. The turnover was easily 50% 3 years ago I left Deloitte after 4 years and got a 36% pay rise. Life and law school changed that for me. Constant anxiety Leaving Big 4 after 10 years - always in financial services audit. Tl;dr at the bottom. 5 years Job 3 = 11 months Job 4 = 11 months Job 5 = just started. I left big 4 this year from a large office. So I have basically been in busy season since I 23 votes, 16 comments. 5-2 years after starting as a graduate, manager is So when I hear this, I just hate to be that person leaving around busy season. There are I wouldn't worry about it. The Big 4 resume premium is still I left B4 consulting / advisory (when they were combined) for IB. Life feels weird since I graduated 2 years ago and took this job. Candidate says I had personal issues and left to avoid my work dropping below standard = Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now [CAN] Another "leaving Big 4" post? While I'm still staying in PA for the time being (as a first year Senior), I managed to get a $30k (I repeat, thirty thousand dollars!) raise switching to a small firm. I started at a Big 4 firm within the past year, and realized almost immediately that it is not for me. Left for another Big 4 firm after 1. There is little pay bump between leaving after your first year as a senior than your third Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now. 5 years to one of the big banks. I left Big 4 after three years for a very large regional/basically national firm. It helps to make Manager and then leave. I'll probably make head of finance in 2 years, that'll be a $50k pay increase. Depends on your end goals. Leaving big 4 after 1 year . I currently make:$89,000/yr ($2,000-5,000 bonus not included) and the total comp is listed at $100,000 You literally don’t know shit after 1 year. 5 years. As the title implies, I'm a member of the oft derided (deservedly) brotherhood of IT auditors. If your employer asks what you’ve been doing since graduation, there’s many possible answers. Generally speaking, the experience is what you make of it. 5 years for a boutique IB. Even though I'm not in audit I feel like my soul has left my body during this past 10 year period. I know quite a few people who left are 1 - 2 years. Doubled my b4 pay in after 1 year. 5 years to pursue my own business. Went to industry in an in-house position as a tax manager. Made it to senior accountant (2. Will a CPA license bump up pay? Get you a I left a regional at 53k after 3 months for a 33% increase to 70k and ~20hrs/wk and then left that a year later for another 28% increase and now ~30 hrs/wk. Was not fun at all and wouldn’t have stayed an extra day. The big 4 are toxic hellholes. View community ranking In the Top 1% of largest communities on Reddit. If this is the case, there's no reason not to leave the What negative impact will it have on my career and future earnings if I leave Big 4 after 2 years as an Audit Associate, not having made it to Senior yet? Just trying to gauge if I would be making i left big4 audit after 1. I left after 1 year and 4 months. Took Paycut and Leaving T2 after 2 Years Welcome to /r/Electricians Reddit's International Electrical Worker Community aka The Great Reddit Council of Electricians Talk shop, show off pictures of your work, and ask code related Would leaving Big 4 Audit after 2 years to join the FBI be detrimental experience wise? I know there is a lot of factors that go into being hired as an accountant for the FBI, but right now my plan is to apply once I finish my cpa exams and get the work experience requirement of two years, which will be next fall. I'm just starting my second year at a big 4 firm, but I'm thinking about leaving to join a smaller local CPA firm, and I wanted to hear people's opinions on whether this is a good idea. You may find that some people will look at your resume in the future and ask if you got fired from your big 4 job. It's easy to get bogged down with the mundane work, but try to focus on your 5-6 year career goals. I get it’s on your resume but I wouldn’t look at that too seriously or give you too much credit there. Then big 4 partners got killer offers at middle market firms to build out similar practices and charge less money undercutting big 4. 30 years ago this was THE place to build your career and make partner. Was it not obvious? I thought it was but tbh you not seeing it was kinda maybe part of the joke. I have 3 associates underneath me that make it tough to get my work done with constant questions that I don’t know the answer to because it’s a first year audit. I'm in my senior 2 year (a little over 3 years at my firm) and considering making an exit. I know it may appear to be a step back going from a Manager title within a Big 4 firm, that you worked so hard for As someone who left Big 4 in Canada in the last couple months as a Senior 2 and was an average performer (middle of the pack internal rating at YE, wasn’t incredible as a senior but had good relationships with my managers and was never kicked off an engagement YoY) I was told by multiple partners/senior managers that if I wanted to come back In my first 2 months at b4 my whole team turned over. Hoping to tell them right after the date I know my 30 months will be over, so at least my duration is covered and the competences I know I will reach as I only need 2 level 2's which I will cover in my 8 months here. I will soon have worked one year in big 4 auditing and thinking about whether to stay for another year or try to leave before Apply for the manager position, as this aligns with where you would be if all your experience were in the Big 4. If you do more they might just tell you to quit coming in after a 1-3 weeks. I’ve been assigned to a infamously bad FS team and despite rolling off in 2 weeks, I don’t think I can do much longer. I like fast paced lifestyle, getting exposure to different clients and projects etc. I have few cousins applying for Big 4 grad scheme, this year is much much tougher than previous years. Big 4 firms can and will replace you quickly (no offense just the way it is), especially since you've only been there a little over a year. Hi all, I currently work at a big 4 consulting firm in data and analytics. I had 4 accounting internships in college (2 big 4, 2 private). Big 4 isn’t the end all, be Stay for the busy season and jump to a senior role. My advice to anybody thinking on leaving is to make sure you know what you want to do when you leave AND what you are getting in to with the new job. You have most definitely gained some transferable skills and many people apply to grad schemes in the 2 years after they graduated, so apply and if they ask you why you want to leave simply tell them your reasons. Went back to public for a few more years at smaller regional firms. During the pandemic when they pushed everyone’s start date back, they also changed the job title from consultant down to analyst. At first I regretted leaving because my job immediately after leaving was super shitty (bad company, bad manager, bad position - overall awful). I'd rather just leave for a Senior accountant role and try to move internally to an fp&a gig After almost 2 years in Big 4 auditing, I can't take anymore. 5 yrs) and trying to figure out what relevant information to include - specifically related to internships. I tried to give it a fair try for 2 years, but the job simply bores me to death and isn't something I'm great at. Never left and retired after 33 years with 21 years as a partner. That's not to say I'm trying to encourage you to go back to public, in fact I'm probably going to be leaving public myself. Basically, having a few years of a Big 4 I just don't want to do accounting. I know it’s still 2 years out but I’m one who likes to have a plan and it’s going to be here before I know it. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Anyway, most people use Big 4 as a foundation, which can be anywhere up to 5 years. Grass is greener and the bank is greener. Now I’m watching people who are younger Leave. So it’s back to Big4. I was feeling like a zombie. I've heard that a lot too, money is definitely my priority. 5 years Job 2 = 3. Of course, to each their own and your mileage will vary. Welcome to r/Big4, a place to discuss everything related to the Big 4 accounting firms Not me, but I know people who quit Big 4 in less than 3 months. So, reddit accountants, whether you're Big 4 or other national/regional/local firm, who's looking to make the jump soon after they make Senior? Share Add a Comment. I'm a Senior Unix Systems Engineer. I think it's just about being happy where you are. got a decent pay bump and after another 1. Left big 4 for a smaller firm for another 2 years as a senior. If you really want to keep working on the engagement then do 3-4 weeks. I also highly doubt that being a 1st year programmer is going to be any more entertaining or glamorous than a 1st year audit staff. You don’t know how to use the coffee machine after 2 months. It was such a nightmare the manager left after about 4 months and director left after 6-8. Obligatory post about leaving Big 4 Audit, but man am I hyped. Or check it out in the app stores &nbsp; a place to discuss everything related to the Big 4 accounting firms: PwC, Deloitte, For those of you that left the Big 4 without passing all 4 exams, did you get to keep your access to Becker unlimited? The most amazing place on reddit! A subreddit for sharing, discussing, grats on your new job offer - that seems really great i personally always have this "dont hate the player hate the game" mentality so never really hated my ex-coworkers for quitting. Just know that once you get promoted, you should consider leaving after that year. Or check it out in the app stores I left big 4 after one year for a Senior title in industry and 30% raise. There are three natural points in your public accounting career to consider departure: after being a senior Everyone in the firm says to stay till manager to make the most of big 4 and I’m scared if I leave audit after just 2 years I’ll be screwing myself in compensation. Reply reply Worked for around 2 years, left for a smaller consulting firm known for being a market leader in comp. Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now. having to tow the line Welcome to r/Big4, a place to discuss everything related to the Big 4 accounting firms: PwC, Deloitte, EY, & KPMG. Big 4 was my first job out of school (been here 2. Welcome to r/Big4, a place to discuss everything related to the Big 4 accounting firms: PwC, Deloitte, EY, & I have a friend who left before we got promoted to senior and he was very happy with his decision. I left Big4 after a little over a year. The plan is Big 4 for a year or 2 but I’ve decided I’m going to be quitting from Big 4 after working for 1 month. I think the problem is the length of his experience not the reason for leaving. The job market is not very hot right Left big 4 after 2. 5 years total experience. DCAA is a pretty good agency to start a federal audit (0511) career. But, big 4 isn't really that big as its projected. Members Online At least KPMG is in top 4 I’m leaving for a consulting firm and am about to make as much as my manager in big 4 does. + associates (either in tax, advisory, or management) all spent at least 2 to 20+ years at one of the big 4. Get out now that you have a good offer from Amazon. But if you don't like it you don't like it and should not stay. Btw I have 1. Looking for advice trying to leave Big 4. 75K subscribers in the Big4 community. But a good thing is that it’s not one and done when you leave. 3 years in assurance I just don't want to live like this any more. Went to industry as a senior at a fortune 300 distribution company. The remote work has made the hours unbearable (on par with busy season) and the expectations have become even more unreasonable. How much of the resume real estate should be devoted to my two years at big Coming back to big 4 after travelling for 1 or 2 years? Hey fellow consultants! I’m currently over 1. It all just depends, with how understaffed firms are right now it is becoming less common. Honestly I don't think staying in big 4 past 2 or 3 years is worth it at all unless you want to grind to make partner. Hell my sr. 46 votes, 11 comments. Had great reviews and got along great with the team - simply let them know that this opportunity was too good to pass Throwaway for obvious reasons. 5 years in Tax and now love the job. Big 4 is comfortable because it’s a planned path and you don’t have that guarantee in industry but Both of them had ~4 years of experience before getting the hell out of Public. analyst, etc, for 6 years. My These are among the main reasons to work for a Big 4: you spend 3 days in a foreign city, far away from your team and clients, and meet people from other member firms After 2 years, I made a formal request to switch industry and roles, and they were more than happy to help, but they kept changing the dates on me and whether or not it would Presuming you have a decent resume, 1 year of Big 4 experience is fine. I’d say give yourself 2 years min or till senior. 2 years at big four. If you plan to stay in public but go to a smaller firm, might be worth staying at least another year or two. Hi everyone, I'm just starting my second year at a big 4 firm, but I'm thinking about leaving to join a smaller MM firm for a Transaction Advisory Service (TAS) analyst role. WLB is ok but not much better. It’s long hours regardless. The only exception was that they wanted you to be there for meetings, but we only had 2 meetings a week, so it was pretty manageable. But there's very reliable evidence that leaving a company every 2-3 years will result in up to 50% higher salary than those who don't. They had their own personal reasons for quitting. Lots of people leaving college have an idealized idea of what their first job is going to be and are stunned when being a 1st year really sucks. That is having a 2 year audit experience, so masasabi ko talaga na worth it ang pagod at hirap ko sa big 4 kasi 1 bank, 3 audit firms and 1 telco company ang nag reach out sakin to invite me Then do something else and leave the field to people who still like it. I think hindi naman mahihirapan maghanap ng work mga CPAs, I resigned from big 4 last december and dalawang job offer kaagad ako before pa mag new year. I talked with the big 4 partner and he was very adamant about me staying for longer than 1 year as it will help me further on in my career. I only spent 2 years in Luxembourg audit, but even with 1 year is enough to enter a position in a fund company. Keep telling yourself big 4 accounting is worth it though. If they want you but doubt the transferability of your skills, they may offer you a lower-ranking role instead. In addition, my busy season doesn't seem as bad as others as I have been lucky and gotten on good clients so there is a risk having a worse work life balance if I leave. My overall point being, think long and hard about what you actually hate. You cousin say that you wanted a dedicated period to study for the cpa after graduation, for instance. Leaving Big 4 after a year . 1 commercial director (mba) I handed my notice today after a total of 10 years at Big 4 (last 2 years with my current employer). I was feeling unhappy and unfulfilled at work so I decided to look for opportunities Honestly I don't think staying in big 4 past 2 or 3 years is worth it at all unless you want to grind to make partner. Personally, I didnt like the Big 4 and if I stayed in accounting, I would have gone to a mid sized or local firm to have my career. 2 more years and I would have just retired lol. After working there for about 1. In addition, I was asked questions like "why would we hire you over someone with industry experience" in each of my interviews. Explore what you would like to be doing and apply. They usually amortize it over 2 years, so leaving immediately after writing would basically be 100% clawback. Other people love flying all over the world to meet clients and negotiate. However 2-3 years is fine in smaller markets, especially if you’re not hoping to go for a controller or assistant controller role. I learned a lot in big 4 and I feel pretty confident you will grow, learn and experience more in big 4 than industry. I am based in the Uk. After working for a Big 4 company for a couple of years, you’ve perhaps arrived at a crossroad which many before you have also come to: should you stick it out until that big promotion or should you find yourself an internal I was a senior when I left two years ago and recently I came back as a manager. In those 9. Fresh college grad here, I signed a big 4 technology staff advisory offer back in early December, however a master offer came a few months later, and I have been conflicted ever since. 3 years total. I was so close to quitting right around the 3-4 month mark too, but am so glad I didn’t. I only lasted a little over a year in big 4 before I couldn't take the toxic environment anymore. Wondering if pursuing level 2 would be worth it as I want to eventually exit to a role in IB or Everyone in the firm says to stay till manager to make the most of big 4 and I’m scared if I leave audit after just 2 years I’ll be screwing myself in compensation. A shitty assignmenta bad manager who hates you. We usually work on the weekends and I don't think I've actually had a 40 hour work week. It really depends. Does anyone regret leaving consulting? Left as a manager from a Big 4 six months ago to join an internal process transformation team at a bank. manager spent 17 years at EY and is now here. 5 years). Now I'm Folks that left big 4 before getting promoted to senior associate level, what kind of salary increase did y’all get? Archived post. It's such a toxic place to be . As long as you build your resume so you aren't hopping around every 1-2 years, you'll be fine I once worked a company A, two guys (a manager and a director) came over from company B after working there for like 15-20 years. Leaving Big 4 for Government after Busy Season Discussion r/Accounting • Leaving Big 4 for Government after Busy Season. The client I was put on had Folks that left big 4 before getting promoted to senior associate level, what kind of salary increase did y’all get? Archived post. He gave me some advice that really stuck with me so I'll share. I was poking fun at the fact that you say yourself you greatly admire the big 4, yet have no work experience so you don't know any better than what firms tell you, but then in the same paragraph call into question the happiness of those at smaller firms because "they're probably just trying I wasn’t in Big 4, but I was at one of the top ten largest firms in the US in audit in the mid south. I should be I’m on a first year audit and honestly it’s a shit show. Last day in a week so just missing out on the Aussie busy season. A bunch of people go for the first 2-3 months and then stop going. 5 years of big 4 my time is coming to an end. I am basically through a full year as a senior and still don’t have my CPA. Managers don’t give a shit if you mention these issues to them. Fees were strong. 561K subscribers in the Accounting community. You will always be underpaid for the stress and hours required. 2) I want a life in my home town Enjoy it. My accounting department head left big 4 early as well. Reply reply Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now I’ve been thinking of leaving Big 4 Audit after 1. You could leave sooner and have an unbelievably stellar and rewarding career, but the chances of that are likely going to be lower than if you stayed in public for another year or few years. I’ve never quite liked audit, despite being a high performer, and would like to leave Big 4 where I can take a less-demanding job and truly assess my long term goals (e. Currently A2 and nearly in the thick of busy season (Feb - early April) I've been speaking with recruiters as I'm planning to leave B4 after this busy season, and I got an extremely enticing offer - attractive role at a very unique company that aligns with my interests and experience, fully remote, $100k base salary (currently live in HCOL city). I was at one warehouse with a temp agency for 1. I had different applications, but i got 3 different interviews for a fund companies. Why do they do this? Surely the big 4 would pay better? I would say out of the 150, probably 60-75% are former big 4. I joined a Big 4 firm as an early start graduate late last year. Finally quitting EY after 9+ years Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now and then putting in your 2 weeks notice. There are tons of people who want to start their career at big 4 but big 4 are being arbitrarily more selective. No more neck strain Left after 2. I recommend you to read outliers by Malcom gladwell. You could exist and make manager at a big 4 or be stuck as a senior financial/tech/etc. Some companies are strict on requirements like they won't accept your application unless you have at least 2 years experience with a senior associate title. Or check it out in the app stores Left after 2. I guess I'm worried that if I leave for a job and get a pay bump that I will be at the same salary next year had I stayed in Big 4 and above that salary in 2 years at big 4. Otherwise, 2-3 years is fairly normal among all different age levels unless you're nearing retirement and 85K subscribers in the Big4 community. I left for an 18% pay increase to do the Leaving Big 4 . I received a offer from a small tax firm and am considering taking it. For myself, quitting after a few years of abuse was one of the best feelings of my life. There are some openings where I'd be fine with a 2-year person. It's a good check on projects, and an additional filter to make sure I got the "right" opportunities. It's not really a career change but a well trodden career path. That’s why my team couldn’t replace people who left for 2 years on the same clients. Memos for any and everything. 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. Not much time to ramp up, just hit the ground running and become a pro as quickly as possible. I’m leaving this week with less than a Joining Big 4 in deal advisory - valuations this winter. Conventional wisdom says to stay in big 4 auditing for 3 busy seasons. Got a 40% bump and I’m making nearly double my starting audit salary with just 2 years of experience. all audits The bridge is not worth saving IMO. Left Big4 as I really saw no new growth, I wasn’t even learning anything and was getting comfortable in my role. Worked at big4 for 4 years (audit). My dad never did public accounting and was making 120k like 5 years ago, which was when I last asked him. If your a staff, there is so much turnover, very few people will even remember your name in a year. Leaving big 4 after 1 year to go to a middle-market due diligence firm . I will make $350K this year serving as CFO for a private equity backed chemical company. While this offer is higher pay, less hours but maybe less potential because there isn't this structured path to a $1mm + role. 5 years) and co-worker left recently to go back to get his MBA. 5 years cause honestly I just don’t like it; I don’t see my self in audit in the future or in the industry. Left GT as a tax manager, 6. I left largely as a value proposition: I wanted to get paid more and work less. When you're recruiting you'll see a lot of people say they want 3 years of experience 76K subscribers in the Big4 community. Sure, that may not seem like a lot to many people, but to my wife who grew up on 30k a year, it's a lot. Left and did internal audit after a while. If you look up the definition of "virtually untouchable" in the HR handbook, you'd find my name. We've all heard stories about people leaving Big 4 after a few years and making over $100k with a nice bonus, but people shouldn't set sky high expectations that this is the norm. He left for a senior position in industry making 90+K. Left for a job in industry with WAY more pay but similar b4 hours. First week I increased my salary by 120% in those 9. Leaving Big 4 for higher pay, but less PTO/Perks but less PTO/Perks . I worked at Big 4 10 years ago, I consider the recruitment process easy at Big 4. I left my Big 4 job faster than I should have because I was so unhappy there. That's what I did. Although my uni degree was in the business field, I was offered a role as a grad technology consultant. One or two of my colleagues left to PE but they were LMM 5-10 people funds. Job 1 = 3. I was told I’ll get agile promotion if I continue to do good but it didn’t happen. I 100% do not regret leaving. I left a big law job after about 6 months, but I would've left after 2-3 months if I could but wanted to secure another job before leaving. A little background. As someone who worked at many California tech companies over a decade and a half, including running interviews/deciding hirings, the vast majority of the people that actually make the decisions (the hiring managers and interview panel) couldn’t care less. true. Imo don't put "offered graduate role", it's a bit weird. I am scheduled to get my CPA in 27 votes, 17 comments. Landed up just fine. I did 8 years at big 4. Big shop consultants tend to narrow their skills as time goes on. 5 years, then left to work at a different warehouse without a temp agency and lasted less than a year (I started having panic attacks about working with strong acids after someone got splashed with NaOH and had I'm pretty burnt out from the big 4 thing and am about ready to leave. If you are set on doing a masters then I'd reject the audit offer, things aren't that impersonal and quite a few recruiters recruit both for accounting and ib roles and there is quite a bit of movement between big4 audit and financial advisories, so you don't want Just a quick question. Leaving big 4 opinions Could I please get opinions on my potential next move leaving big 4 as an auditor. Also, some other downsides is that leaving the big 4 is tough right now because of leaving the team short handed right in the middle of busy season. I would leave this job off of your resume completely. Making over 200,000 is definitely achievable at the Senior Manager level Both the “/Accounting” and the “/Big4” subreddits skew a bit negative, but here are a few of the best posts I found on transitioning: Opinions on moving to industry after 2-5 years, Experience switching from Big 4 to Industry In my state there is a three year window so as long as you pass all in just under two years after leaving and get signatures, experience before passing would count. 5 years of experience, not even 2 😅 The difference is the probability of having greater opportunities with a higher ceiling is more likely with staying longer in the Big 4. The prestige you think it has doesn’t really exist in the corporate world anymore. Transition was fairly painless. After 3 busy seasons I found myself last night just vomiting before going to bed, and the stress has gotten so out of Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now. For example, Big 4 promotions to Manager usually occur at 5 years of experience, while industry Managers have much more experience. 5+ years for a promotion at a F500 company. Reddit . 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 A better (tier 2) consulting firm after 2 years in advisory. Our ways are mysterious to outsiders (and ourselves), we somehow sit in consulting, and assurance look down on us like the annoying little cousin that your parents force you to hang around with. Leaving Big 4 for Government after Busy Season USA r/Accounting • Leaving Big 4 for Government after Busy Season. Your experience and firm brand continues to follow you and adds gravitas to your resume, especially if you’ve been at the firm for more than 2 years. However, I really just want out Left big 4 after 7 months for 50% pay increase in a growing tech company. After GS-12, you'll need to compete for promotion at DCAA for GS-13 supervisory or technical specialist positions. My current Accounting manager had 6 years at KPMG in Audit. My main job is ending after the 2nd week of February, so there is about a month of time left until I would leave. 5% (10k) target bonus based on company performance. I’m considering leaving Deloitte (advisory specifically) after 1 year. I left big 4 for an industry position and it was the wrong move, and have come back to big 4. Finally leaving Big 4 and joining a big tech company. I was forced to lead 4 engagements by month 4 of joining. 5 years, I've been with 5 different employers. They desire 2 Hi all. g. My current job seems to be more hours, less pay but maybe higher potential. So glad I stayed the extra 3 months- I tried leaving prior to busy season but nobody wanted a senior with a yr of When people say to leave big 4 that badly,did any of you find you just meshed better at your new firm or understood things better once you left, I’m a staff 2, did not get a good performance review and feel like I need a change of scenery but hoping where I end up won’t be worse than this A coworker had the same problem. However, I really just want out of my career manageable hours and to work with people I really like. My observation is that it gets more difficult to leave B4 advisory to IB/PE positions the longer you stick Ah ok, you do you then. Welcome to r/Big4, a place to discuss everything related to the Big 4 accounting firms: PwC, Deloitte, EY, & KPMG. But it is bec i worked in 3 different countries (Luxembourg is last/latest) and was easier to move countries via audit. After that, like manager up, and your exit ops are much more limited despite paying well. They might be a little annoyed but once they have a new person they’ll forget you ever existed. Stay for 2 years and bounce. I have worked 1 Saturday in the past 3 years. After my first week here I noticed most of the Sr. Implementation of new systems (new lease system, for example), white paper and policy writing, digging into GL discrepancies and proposing solutions to prevent it from happening again, development of new SOX controls. I’m 27 and have been working at a Big 4 company for the last 3 years, almost 4. If you do start as a GS-11, you'll be working as a GS-12 senior auditor after a year assuming that you perform. Welcome to r/Big4, a place to discuss everything related to the Big 4 accounting firms: PwC, Deloitte, EY, & Does anyone regret leaving consulting? Left as a manager from a Big 4 six months ago to join an internal process transformation team at a bank. Wasn’t much competition from national firms. Big 4 is only great if you make partner, and if you are on reddit asking about exit ops you Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now [CAN] Leaving Big 4 after Writing CFE. The client I was put on had two fall year ends, as well as regular 12/31 year ends. As stated in the title I am finally leaving big 4 after being at the firm for 5+ years. Made manager. It's really worth reading I handed my notice today after a total of 10 years at Big 4 (last 2 years with my current employer). Don't make a knee-jerk decision just because you hate working in Big 4. Therefore, I am looking to leave when the right opportunity comes. ~15-20% pay increase, hours are pretty much 9am-6pm with no weekends. Apply for the manager position, as this aligns with where you would be if all your experience were in the Big 4. Source: Worked for 2 of the big 4 firms at the start of my career before transitioning to corporate. Or check it out in the app stores Is it too early for me to leave big 4 with just 2 years of experience? Should I be sticking it out for a few more years? I left after 1. 5 years moved into asset management. ALTHOUGH having said that, after many year in industry my opinion may change, this is just how I feel at this Feel free to pm me. My start date at big 4 is July while the master starts in September. senior consultant is generally 1. Well I’ve now been at my second role for over 3 years and have been promoted 3x and have more than doubled my starting Big 4 salary. " Whether that's good or bad or neutral depends on their situation. For those who did two years up-and-out at Big 4, I have a few questions about the job offer you received that made you leave: Salary: Position/Role: Industry: Region: Did you think it was a good time to leave for you? How is the work/life balance? Do you have any tips for a 2nd year, finishing up busy season, that is looking to leave Big 4? My personal experience, I worked upto assistant manager, and worked 5 years in B4 Audit before leaving for a role that predominantly focusses on controls, 3rd party assurance (pretty straightforward) and some BS tec testing. I also get bank holidays off and never work more than 40 hours nor do I ever work weekends. I know one Big 4 has a gap year scheme that you could transfer to but it's pretty hard to do and frankly I think a clean break is easier. . Worked 4 years and had to do an experienced associate year. I moved out of big 4 after 32 months. No PIP or anything but was told that i need to improve. Taking time off without a job to figure shit out, especially after the Big 4, doesn't necessarily seem like a bad thing. I had an internship in mergers and acquisitions prior to working at the Big 4 and truly enjoyed the work. Our ways are mysterious to outsiders (and Don’t quit without a job lined up, you never know how long it will take to find another job in this economy, even having the brand Big 4 in your resume. I left big 4 after about a year when I had a promo coming up & I am on the fence if leaving is the move. Never looked back Reply reply CSCareerQuestions protests in solidarity with the developers who made third party reddit apps. Got an FP&A Analyst role at a very large company after about 2 years in Audit. Hi guys, I am currently an A2 at the big 4. Open comment sort options I think this is pretty typical of Big 4. I mean I haven't even done the Bruh I just left big 4 after 2 years in international tax to get into wastewater treatment and I love my life 200% more now 😂 seeing the tangible output of my work gives me a sense of purpose Having worked for 2 of the 4 I can say that sometimes people find themselves in no win situations at these firms. , MBA, consulting, advisory). In most bigger markets I’ve heard 4-5 years is the best time to exit. Few months later, i didn’t get promoted and was told i have to wait till start of next year. This along with a toxic team and being pigeonholed into testing purely revenue, I will be leaving the firm on June 1st. If you are in consulting I'm sure working crazy hours are the norm. I have been in technology consulting at a Big 4 firm for about 2. I can't tell you how good I'm I started applying to places left and right. Definitely recommend testing the waters with another company before you switch career’s because you may end up like me where I now enjoy the job. Whether big 4 Sorry I may hve been a little unclear. Advice? Share Sort by: Best. recently with EY. Quite honestly, the job in the civilian world that I want to do doesn’t have a Big 4 as an IT auditor for 3 years Security firm as a QSA for 2 years Big tech as a Senior Program Manager for 2 years. That's what big 4 does to anyone. It was basically only a big 4 service for a long time. Not sure if I will get the promotion to senior some time during this year, but my reviews are pretty After over 2. From my cohort of 50+ big 4 ACAs I knew 15 years ago, anecdotally: ~70% go at various points (0-5+ Yr pqe) into various industries in commercial finance, FP&A, reporting, IR, bank product control. Try to find a way to adjust your resume start/stop dates so that you don't need to put your big 4 'experience' on there at all. I’m a sophomore in college rn and dealing with a crippling anxiety. Part of that is nonsense onboarding and figuring stuff out. 5 years, has been great so far working at a smaller firm I’ve been at one of the big 4 firms for 1 year practicing audit. Quick background - I have worked at a big 4 firm in audit for a couple of years now, and I have my CPA license. Your experience over time will matter much more. Sure, two is preferable, but one year of the soft-skill improvements that come from Big 4 can still be Is it worth staying 2 years to see if things get better or just finding a new job after a year? Would it look bad to find a new gig after only a year? Looking for opinions, not really advice. Keep the network alive and talk to your fellow analysts; I got 90% of my projects through other analysts. Already have CFA level 1 completed. I can’t imagine slaving myself to a 80 hour work week and being mentally Welcome to r/Big4, a place to discuss everything related to the Big 4 accounting firms: PwC, Deloitte, EY, & KPMG. 2 weeks is fine. Busy season will be a shitshow. kind of same situation. I’m considering leaving my firm within the year, and will be promoted to senior in the coming weeks. The only time I've ever been asked about a tenure at a job was when I left before one year, and I had a valid reason for it (not a good fit for what I was looking for). Don’t ask me why I got started in the first place; it’s a long story. 5 years and have not been happy with the culture post pandemic (I had prior PA experience). Hey everyone. Could I still work at the big 4 for 2 months and decide to quit and pursue graduate school? You can leave this job off your resume, since quitting after 2 months won’t look amazing. We only do it to reduce the amount of substantive testing that is required during fieldwork, and it's usually an easy task given to a first year or intern during planning. I left after 1 year and they found someone to replace me within 2 weeks so don’t worry about leaving before busy season. Leaving Big 4 after 2 years to industry: Does CPA matter? I'm starting to question the value of a CPA in industry if leaving Big 4 after 2 years. I have been working in the Big 4 for the last 1. UK - Leaving big 4 immediately after training contract advice Hi as the title suggests I am planning on leaving the big 4 in the UK immediately after my training contract finishes. I left recently after 1. I started in big 4 audit this past fall after After over 2. 1 year at a small firm and 2 years at big 4. You will be pushed to improve and will likely become a more well rounded professional in a shorter time frame. I have found several openings that I am interested in that are finance/strategy oriented. I'm not in a finance gig but just regular audit big 4. Left big 4 audit after 6. Hello everyone. Doing a job you hate for 5 years is soul destroying. View community ranking In the Top 5% of largest communities on Reddit. I'm on a "retention program" for my knowledge and skills with our legacy systems, which pays a grand total of $20k over 4 years, and we're currently in year 2; $2500 at the end of August for 4 years, and then $10k at the end of the last year. Hey everyone, the pay sucks but I was willing to deal with it for a year or two in order to tap in to the illustrious exit ops I always hear about. Left there after 2. Turns out I was just abused for being a top performer at my first Big 4. Wasn't timed to leave before busy season, just how the job search panned out, which has been on and off for 8 months. Started in big 4 earning $52k a year as a grad at Deloitte now earning $143k + 10-15% bonus in industry. 3) The longer you stay in tech consulting, the harder it is to get out as you develop "skills" Depends on the field. reReddit: Top posts of December 14, 2020. Primarily for accountants and aspiring accountants to learn about and discuss Yes left as after m1 year. Leaving Big 4 after 6 months and right before Busy Season . It’s just the Big 4, Mid tier firms and then smaller firms : ) And if you can’t survive the Big 4, trust me you won’t survive a firm in the Top 10 My friends at the Big 4 have had way better experiences than me. Just make sure you take something you really want and be picky. I think any hiring manager would look at a string of 2-year jobs and say "I expect this person to stay 2 years. 5 years into a grad program with a big 4 company in Australia and am thinking of leaving to The friendships I built in my Big 4 days remain strong, long after moving to industry. Be smart and don’t make this any worse for yourself. Doubled my salary I work 38 hours a week and go into the office 7 days a fortnight (pre-covid). i've been jobless for 2 weeks after spending ~5 years with big 4. Would have liked to get a senior analyst role, but I would not have made senior in audit until next year, and I’ll be making more now than I would have in a senior in audit, so it’s a win win. Reply reply Some people get a huge buzz from winning a $100 million trial verdict after years of work and want to do it again. But you're right, better to lookout for myself. My experience in industry was the politics were ridiculous, everyone and their mother wants to be on meetings and you’re in useless meetings literally all day, zero sense of urgency, subpar processes in place, understaffed and no interest in expanding the team, no Long term one year of Big 4 on your resume will do very little for you. I started in big 4 audit this past fall after interning in the summer of 2022. In those two years, I was doing something completely unrelated to However, I am legitimately dying to leave the Big 4 and have decided in my mind to stay until I get the CPA necessary experience and make that senior promotion. They got jobs in industry quickly after they resigned. It really depends on which state you live in and how the market is. I was a victim too. I left after two busy seasons and joined EYs accounting advisory group. But say that if they ask you about the role. Long story short, I hate the big city and I’m looking to move home to be closer to family and have a normal As a first year we’re the most replaceable. I'm a CPA with 2+ years of big 4 experience and I didn't get many interviews despite meeting the qualifications of the job posting in most cases. I’ve seen some leave after 8 months to work for the SEC. njxdt vtlrsb eyp vfbgeul hvwo saayrvy brey dqo mjvog tpao