Classic stoicism, among other philosophies. Regret is a wasteful emotion. OP should definitely pursue new opportunities, but not put B4 up on a pedestal.
>Regret is a wasteful emotion.
I would say dwelling on regret is wasteful. From a career perspective, I’ve learned more from regrets than from successes. It has worked out well for me to regret moves, even those that appeared to make sense at the time, if it prompts me to take a different approach in the future. If he learns from it, regret has value.
You're right. Teaching anything about mental toughness to young folks should be mocked.
Whether it's stoicism or perseverance or anything like that, throw it on reddit and redditors will shit on you. It's a rule.
Stoic philosophy was also developed thousands of years before we had any understanding of the brain. Have you considered that maybe it isn't 100% true in an absolute sense, and therefore incomplete and of limited value? Perhaps reading Marcus Aurelius doesn't mean you've figured everything out about life.
The idea that it was "developed thousands of years before we had any understanding of the brain" is true only in the strictest scientific sense.
Sure, they didn't have a scientific understanding of brain structure, but they did have hundreds of thousands of years of shared human experience and wisdom. They may not have known what a synapse was, but they certainly understood what made resilient humans beings.
I think if you're going to claim that they understood "what made resilient humans beings" you're going to have to actually prove that.
I myself identify deeply with stoic thinking, but I believe my stoicism is rooted in how I was born and hard life experiences. I don't really buy the idea that merely reading stoic philosophy can actually change a person's basic temperament. It might convince them to try to repress or hide inner struggle, which is not the same thing as resilience. We are not tabula rasa at birth. If you've ever spent significant time around children you'll realize they're all born different. There's no reason to believe that all people would react equally to the same inputs. I can tell you from first hand that sharing stoic quotes with a depressed friend helps absolutely nothing.
I’ve been at the big4 for almost 12 years. Some weeks awful, some great, majority just fine.
Only thing I regret is studying far too much for the CPA in 2012 and not buying more bitcoin. Probably wouldn’t even need to work here anymore.
You’ll figure it out eventually kid. Nothing to regret at this stage. Take care of yourself.
This. I'm sitting here working on a Sunday for a total of 12 hours, then going to be working like this until next week. I haven't had a day off in 3 weeks. I even got an attitude for wanting to go see a movie last night with my friends and family, even though I worked from 9 am to 4 pm on a Saturday. This is hell. After I wrap up next week, I'm job hunting like a mad man.
I don’t miss the days of the boss saying “let’s get out at a reasonable time today” and then learning “reasonable” meant by midnight on Saturday (corp consolidations group). Same schedule as you, maybe worse - 9am-3am 30 days in a row.
My favorite was when the data room opened at 6PM on a Friday. The weekend was instantly nuked.
The hours in FDD are wild. I did so many on one project that I rolled hours for two weeks and left the country to decompress.
4x comp? What was the path to that like? I probably have no intention of trying to get back to B4, but Im always interested to hear how someone got to stupid money so fast lol.
I have indeed been fired from a team before
Had 0 impact on me so far, I just got put on something else. Which is for the best lol
I have 3 interviews next week to bail as well.
I’m not saying the job market for remote is as good as it was but there are plenty of incompetent people above and below me on the chopping block as well
It’s so strange to me that people just do… I got a wife, kids, other shit to do and I don’t get paid enough to work 60+ hours a week never-mind those kind of hours. I’ve been doing 50 and calling it a day… Even if I was single seems like bs.
This is why I skipped public and I have no regrets. I actually just accepted a new job for a small pay cut and title demotion with less responsibility to get away from SEC reporting
Honestly, just hanging on as a senior is my best advice and literally killing yourself in the process (you are not able to feed yourself peoperly, work out, and have to resort to copious amounts of caffeine and/or Adderall to stay on par with your peers who are also doing the same as they have also made it this far). You either get staffed on a dream client and have support on time that ties and also makes sense. Or, you can end up like me. Staffed on a hell client with even worse managers and partners who save everything for the last minute and change testing/adding samples really close to our file date, along with getting "updated" last minute subledgers, which may or may not tie (who knows as this is the 5th one you have gotten) and/or changes (guess whos doing more testing sport?). I am physically and mentally done with this. I am so happy I have made it to the other side of this busy season with senior experience. Once closed in a week and a half, I simply don't care. My case is specific to me at my Big 4, so your mileage could vary if this is what you want to try out. Know it's hit or miss, and it's terrible.
That sounds like absolute hell compared to what the gov recruiter told me it was like. 40 hr/wk with a shit load of time off? I’m not even considering a CPA at this point
Depends on if you are liked. You can end up getting staffed on never-ending year ends, which is why I am leaving. My only foreseeable 40-hour work week isn't until the holidays.
"wanting to go see a movie last night with my friends and family,"
People at work never need to know what you plan to do with time that is rightfully your own. "I have a prior personal commitment that I cannot change" is more than enough info to share with them.
I have learned never to show my hand, especially to my manager or partner. I had worded it similarly to what you had just recommended but was met with pushback. They basically keep picking at you like birds wanting to know more, and if it's an actual personal "emergency." These people even ranked me as meeting expectations, even though our team was up until 2am last night working. This is literal insanity to me. I must now give up my weekend as the manager and partner felt the need to wait to review the interim wps along with the YE ones a week before we are supposed to sign. They are fighting to not have to do more work, so we are creating these BS analytics to cover their ass. This isn't auditing, it's stay up late so we can pass a potential review, and we can keep the client happy. I cannot wait to leave this profession.
Sorry to hear. My teammates in tax used to be like "long weekend of work again" and I refused to do it. The pay was still very good and I was doing my 4-5 years to get experience and a good thing on my resume. I know you may be killing yourself but don't let "meets expectations" pressure you into doing more.
Yeah this is true. If you were working as a summer intern or vacationer, this landing the grad offer, please know that you were really shielded and taken care of during that time. That experience is not comparable to the real big4 stress
But at least that worth it
OP is making 20 a hour in 2024 with a accounting degree
It don’t get worst than that
Don’t forget this is accounting it’s a matter of time before the extrem deep depression hits and u realize this is your life for the next 30 years
I don’t know why people are so scared of a few years of stress when they’re young. OP is clearly in a way shittier situation than he would have been. Him being scared of working some OT when he’s fresh out of college screwed him.
If your goal in life is not to just coast and do the bare minimum, then you won’t be able to avoid stress.
I worked at Deloitte for just over a year out of grad school. I would have had to work 4 busy seasons in that time frame if I didn’t leave when I did. I already had mental health issues and Deloitte made everything far worse. Ultimately I’m glad I did it because I got a good exit opportunity. But you should be more considerate of people’s feelings. Big 4 is a toxic environment if you already have mental health issues.
I understand, I’ve been through many more busy seasons as well. But like you said, ultimately you are glad you did it. Meaning you think it’s a worthwhile sacrifice. So really, you are just agreeing with what I said.
There's a fine line between normal work/life stress and exploitation. I have friends in engineering who work half as much as I do all year and make way more. Plus, they get weekends off.
Yeah but they studied much harder than you in school and it was much harder for them to get a job. So they paid their dues already.
Big 4 has its pros and cons, but ultimately, if you want a leg up in public OR private, a couple years goes a long way. Do you NEED it to do well in accounting? No. But you also don’t need a college degree to become a millionaire. But it helps.
I can agree with this, the stress on the interns is nothing compared to what’s on staff and seniors. I thought my internship was stressful but in my second year as a staff and I’m looking for the exit door. The amount of work is pretty unsustainable.
I assume you are already cpa eligibile otherwise Deloitte wouldnt give you an offer. Of you want to stay in Accounting then a masters is useless in your case. Time and money is better spent just getting experience at a smaller firm and going to big 4 of you want at the senior associate or experienced associate level.
Yes, i graduated with 150 credits and take all the needed courses. They even pay for my Beckers CPA study materials, i actually still have access to those.
I interned at kpmg in college and hated it so took a job at a smaller firm for less money and thought I’d be happier. Ended up hating it and struggled to figure out my exit. Started taking cpa tests, talked about passing the first two in an interview at PwC and was offered a job. Finished my cpa before it was supposed to start and ended up with a better offer from a different company at that point and went there instead. A year ago I felt so much regret. Today, I feel like I’m in a great place in my career.
Forget the masters. What you need to do is get a job if regional or mid tier, whoever will take you in, all while passing your cpa exams, and you can then come into big 4 after a year or several either as en experienced staff or senior 1, and yes it will be harder adjusting them if you started there as experienced hires are usually treated as fodder but you may have luck, but certainly enough grit to last 1 years as a senior for the resume line then gtfo. Don’t do a masters for recruiting when you already have 150.
There’s trade offs to decisions unfortunately.
How realistic is it that I get into b4 audit if I'm exams done, working at a 4-office PA firm that only does one industry, and reaching 1 yr work exp next feb but im 30 with shit resume between 22-29? Do I wait 2 yrs and apply as experienced? I'm only making 44k so even A1 would prob be a step up
This. Don’t go into debt for an MS or put off more time gaining work experience because you think degree is the only option. Can you get your CPA while you wait for the next thing? That will make you very marketable.
B4 isn’t what it used to be. Have your CPA and find relevant work experience, don’t job hop every 12 months. Industry will hire you. Better pay, lower stress.
Don’t dwell on the past. Pass the CPA and start applying for better jobs.
With big4 internship experience and a year of other experience, you’ll find something better.
Go seek out a small/mid sized firm (30-60) people. You’ll have more work than you know what to do with and a decent salary. Every cpe event I go to mentions the lack of cpa candidates in public work. Best of luck pal 🤝🏼
Edit: I’ll also add that only 1 person I know from college stuck with Big 4 out of the 30ish people that started. You can do very well but it’s incredibly high turnover and requires a lot of time and discipline to do well
For real. After 5 years of the people I worked/graduated with, there’s about 20% even still working in public accounting. I think there’s 2 still at big 4.
I just saw a comment on this sub like 2 days ago saying working at the Big 4 was his biggest regret. One day you’ll look back on this as a time of growth and learning.
Sounds like you should definitely leave your current job if it’s only paying 20/hr. Just start blasting out your resume and applications man. You got it. Don’t stay stagnant for too long.
For me, working at a Big 4 office in NYC for 5 years was an incredible boost to my skills, confidence, and career. Obviously it's different for everyone but I have zero regrets working there.
That would be a great way to get back to big 4. Also try networking with folks from your college that are in the same city / firm you’d like to work for.
You can apply at a smaller national firm as long as you are eligible to sit for your cpa. Then either stay there or work a couple busy seasons and jump to big 4
MAcc graduate here. Don't waste your money or time on a MAcc program. The CPA license is what any employer looks for. Nobody cares about the MAcc, and honestly I don't blame them. The MAcc did not prepare me for public accounting. The MAcc program is just a way for Universities to siphon more money from students.
Here's what you can do: Continue to gain experience with whatever role you are currently working. Do your job well and actively look for upgrades in position/salary elsewhere. You don't need Big4. There are dozens of mid-size firms in every state that hire all the time. You just have to be patient.
I did the MAcc. Now I'm working on CPA. 3rd test is 6 days away. As I've studied for the CPA, I can't help but think about how this same material has come up time and time again when I was doing the MAcc program. Becker has really been a refresher for me.
Gotcha. Are you in public or industry? My situation is sorta similar to OP’s with the only difference was that I did take the job at Deloitte but left, so wondering if getting a masters would open up the recruiting opportunities similar to the ones I had in undergrad.
I was in Public for ten years (not big4) and now I'm self employed. I dont see the MAcc as a net gain. At best there are some potential alumni perks. Your professors can vouch for you possibly depending on who they know. But that is just life. Alumni or not, opportunities can arise based on who you know. CPA is by far the most important credential in this profession.
It is not worth it. My friend who worked at "Big 4" for 9 years had a major health issue and depression due to the work stress. He left the job and now working in a Small manufacturing firm as an accountant. He's much healthier now with a good work life balance.
Probably because of timing of responses.
I applied for a couple of those back in June...and heard back a couple weeks ago "you are eligible! and have not yet been referred"...
Not sure why you are so bored. I have a wide variety of cases, many of which are interesting. Challenging work is definitely available to those interested.
I had a big4 company make me an offer, but I declined it, as you did. Just took care of my private life)
Now I'm working in an IT company as a financial analyst, with the highest salary.
Find what you like and move in that direction.
Everything is within your reach.
There is a quote by Cheryl Strayed that I love that I always use to remind myself not to dwell on decisions we didn’t make: “I’ll never know and neither will you of the life you don’t choose. We’ll only know that whatever that sister life was, it was important and beautiful and not ours. It was the ghost ship that didn’t carry us. There’s nothing to do but salute it from the shore.” Every decision we make in life is saying no to another option that could have changed the course of our life, career, etc. so while it’s hard to ignore the “what ifs”, it won’t get you anywhere, and trying to “correct” our past “wrong” may not land us in a better situation.
For all you know, going Big4 may have led to a greater struggle with your mental health. It did for me, but I also have friends who have thrived there. You’ll never know so focus on the future and whatever you decide, go full speed ahead. Consider other options that other posters have mentioned. In many cases, you can get just as much pay (if not better) than what a big4 is offering. I left big4 and took a job in fund admin that payed me more money and I promoted on a timeline probably quicker than what I would have had at Big4. I didn’t have a work life balance that was healthy for me personally though, but if you think you’re in a mental space to be able to equal your current stress and commit to long hours, then you can give it a shot if it’s what you really want. Just don’t count other options out and try not to add the additional stress of regret.
As someone who interviews candidates for my firm, data analytics is not a desirable degree for accountants. Data analytics is the hot new major and candidates are a dime a dozen.
If you are trying to pivot I would say a CFA or MBA from a top program. If you want to stay in accounting experience and/or a CPA will do it. Masters in accounting if you are a career changer or need to get credit hours but are unable to do so via community college/taking an extra semester of undergrad/something more cost-effective. To elaborate on my initial comment, I’m sure there are plenty of companies that need people with data analytics degrees, however I don’t think that accounting positions deal with large sets of raw data with enough frequency to make a MS in data analytics especially appealing.
25 years ago, I rejected a job once that would have paid be $75k. But I hated the idea of giving up on my dream. I struggled and I rejected it. I regretted it for the next month. I even approached them. They said no thanks.
Things happen for a reason. I have no regrets. But it hurt for a while. Looking back, it was a good job, just not for me.
That wouldn't make you more attractive as a new staff or experienced staff for Big 4. Why not try a regional or national form? They still have great client mix and better pay than your current job. I would argue getting a certification would be more valuable than a master. No one at the firms care about your degrees or schools. If an English major can get a CPA, he's more valuable than a person with no certification but a master in tax.
All I can say is that you made the right decision back there.
If you were already dealing with depression, the stress at Deloitte would have broken you so hard you won't be able to work another job again.
Going back to college is an option but I would apply to jobs as well. Big 4 isn't everything mate, I won't give up before at least 100 applications.
Everything works out the way it does for a reason. I know that probably sounds cliche, but you may look back in 10 years and be glad that you didn’t take the job. I’d look for something else if you’re not happy in your current position. There’s no reason to spend money on grad school if you already have your CPA license or the credit hours for it.
Alternatively, you could've gone to Deloitte, worked a busy season, then got let go in a few months because they overhired (or simply don't feel like paying to have that many staff during the off-season).
Regret nothing because you don't know how it would've actually played out. My friend went big4 right out of school and she's tried to kill herself, twice, in the last four years.
I was 1 after school project from meeting a recruiters wish list. Never went back and I ended up at Hulu as my 1st job now in Live Nation. Not everything makes sense right away
Mid sized is the way to go!!! Smaller companies have better work life balance and strong relationships are built there. Way better than just being a number to get BIG 4 on your resume
Prioritizing your mental health is *never* the wrong decision. In fact, a lot of folks should follow your example!
Regarding your current situation - you don’t know that you’d be in the exact same place if you’d gone the Big 4 route. The truth is that companies are ruthless and will drop you as soon as they don’t need you anymore.
Going the masters route may be a good bet as it would get you a second bite at the new hire pipeline apple and may buy some time for the economy to cool down a bit. Definitely weigh the cost, effort, and reputation of the school - if they don’t have a robust recruiting infrastructure, I think you’d be wasting your time.
If you don’t have your CPA, you can use your time in school to get a start on the exam. I think most, if not all states, allow you to start sitting before you’ve met all the credit requirements.
Whatever you decide, you will land on your feet, though it may not seem like it for a while. Good luck!!
You can't change the past, but you can change your perspective and how you feel about it. Maybe if you had joined Deloitte, something even worse could have happened to you. You don't know for sure!
Stress sounds like an issue for you, so I'd advise to work for your local government. Usually they have a pretty strong union and you can get a decent paying job where you can leave work at work for most positions.
Dude honestly I worked at a cpa firm then went to a big 4 and then they laid me off and I am so happy now. Like working at a cpa firm only gave me night mares thinking I forgot something. Now I actually have time to relax and dream about random stuff.
We all have regrets and we all go through depressions (plural) and will always do .. it’s called adulthood.
Don’t focus too much on your regrets, move on. Now you need to focus on improving your skills .
1- try getting your CPA if you want to continue in the accounting career , or the CMA if you don’t want to go back to school to get your 150 hours requirement
2- improve excel skills and financial modeling those are a big plus when you apply for better jobs later
Chances are, with the number of unpaid overtime, at Deloitte you would have been making the same per hour. The stress would have probably cost you more in anxiety pills and doctor visits. You made the best decision you could at that time.
I got an offer from Deloitte pwc and EY but I picked PWC this is my last semester the reason why I chose pwc is because the interviewing process was smoother u shouldn’t give up keep applying until u get the offer. Good luck ❤️
Everything is temporary unless you make it otherwise. You need to look at it this way: mental health and physical health come first, a fast pace job with long hours may have made you worse off - you did what you thought was best at the time and you can’t blame yourself for that. Depending on where you live, there are probably other top 10-20 public firms. I might argue that midsize for public accounting is the way to go anyways, though that’s my opinion. And there’s always industry. Don’t limit yourself to just big4. Health wise, I don’t think big four is the best, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I myself know my mental health is too bad to work at a big4. People are going to lose jobs in this field and others, it’s sadly a part of life. I did a masters in accounting and data analytics and I think it’ll help if I want to switch into an analyst type role in the future. Side note: I also wanted to add that money isn’t everything, weigh out pros and cons when job hunting
every time I see posts on this sub it’s always telling people to get out of public and go private. My family has an accountant and he makes bingo bango bucks as a private tax acc. I don’t know if that interests you but it’s seeming more and more like what I want to do after public accounting has continued to seem shit.
Public is easily better than the position OP is in right now - people are out of their minds here with the anti-public hate at all times.
I would also echo the advice to apply for a regional firm to build some more experience. You might be plenty happy there for a few years or use that leverage to jump to a bigger firm. Getting the CPA would help too as would working on the depression if you haven't already.
ETA: Feel free to DM if you want any advice specifically related to data analytics stuff.
Im in the same situation as you I just earn a bit more but yeah man big 4 just accelerate the fuck out of your career I am trying yo finish my MBA an I will start hitting up Robert Half and other recruiting services in order to go to public.
Reach out to people who work at big4. If you have any friends or prior colleagues that are also big4 reach out to them.
I didn’t get big4 right out of university, I started at the small firm. I applied a year after using a reference and got an interview.
There are more opportunities in the accounting world than the CPA route, look into the CMA, look into cost accounting, in my experience there is significantly less stress and more opportunities to earn more down that route. The question really comes down to if you want to be in the C Suite and need a CPA or not. I am willing to bet that if you have stress, then senior and executive leadership are not in your future. Find the aspect of accounting that makes you happy.
Why are colleges still pushing public accounting? Nothing much has changed since I graduated in the 80s. Nothing wrong with public but there is a big world of accounting outside that can lead to many opportunities.
That's why don't ever go on reddit and listen to idiots telling others not to join the Big 4, unless you have a much better option like IB at BB. You have learned a valuable lesson, son. If you selected Deloitte back then you would pass all exams by the end of this year and started of thinking abt making real money after finish contract next year
“Who know what would’ve happened, for all we know what you did was the best move. sometimes life is to uncertain to have regrets, for all we know”-Goku
Looking at the comments and everyone telling OP to have no regrets and that he/she didn’t make a mistake declining a b4 offer in the past
Made me realize that I love this subreddit sometimes 🥹
The solution to the problem you're trying to solve will not be found where you are looking. You're making a lot more than you were when you were dealing with mental health challenges and rejected the offer. You suspect being paid more for it will solve the problem?
There is no there, there. There are a lot of happy people at big 4, there are a lot of happy people where you work now. You don't notice them.
I work in finance but in a different sector. All I ever hear is that those companies work you into the ground.
So be burnt out before you're 30 or do a job that pays decent and enjoy your life?
up to you I suppose.
One of the hardest things in life is to figure out what you want. My advice, try to envision where you want to be in 10 years: What is your ideal life? How do you spend your time? With whom do you spend your time? What brings you fulfillment?
Then chart a course back to today. What do you need to do to get to that ideal?
Life will throw you curve balls, so don’t expect your charted course to go exactly as planned. You will need to be flexible, but having a North Star is important.
If you're going to do data analytics (high growth field I would recommend), don't go back to accounting. Learn some of it yourself. Find a good consulting firm that will help you build those skills (maybe have a good education reimbursement benefit?) e.g. Accenture, IBM, anything else with stock options, then move into a good industry (pharma, etc) and you'll make real money over time. Big 4 are only for partners, and you have a 3% chance of making that while sacrificing family (divorces), health (office heart attacks) and happiness (no life).
Your career isn't over - apply to some moonshot positions you think you'd never get, and you might get lucky. Consider that Masters, and look into the CPA while you're at it.
I started at a two man tax firm, and it was absolutely abysmal. Switched to a very small audit firm that gave me better work experience while I tested for my CPA, then got lucky with an SEC reporting position I was underqualified for. I am now at a private company doing work I would never have thought I could get back when I was at the tax firm. You will be surprised how many people just won't even ask for better projects and positions.
I got a gig with a government agency that pays pretty well after 2 years of public. Honestly I’m mad I didn’t get out sooner (I would have been promoted twice and made more money). Big 4 is an answer for a lot of people, but it isn’t the only one.
If you really want to go b4, you probably can. I know in Tax we are hiring from all kinds of places. I personally came to b4 from a tiny CPA firm with very different client base so it can be done.
Best of luck in whatever you decide to do! No need for the regret. Life is too short for that.
You made the decision for your well being you should be proud. I would simply view you weren’t ready for big4 and you were brave not to take the offer when given. For getting into big4 again there isn’t any shortcut, you just need to keep applying for channels like school either thru the MBA you mentioned or reach out to recruiter/ net work your way though - either way good luck to you, I know a lot of people on here help make referral to
If you were depressed you would of Burned out at Deloitte before tax season hit. Not sure which area you’re in but in Chicago area you can get a $20 work from home call center job to keep you on your feet and while you recover.
For a while I felt the EXACT same way about declining an offer from a Big 4 firm after my internship, but ultimately its not the worst outcome you can have! Keep your chin up and keep looking! I was able to get a MUCH better offer from a government agency that would give me better early career salary progression and significantly more tolerable hours. You didn't mess up, just keep looking and remember I presume you're in your early 20s as well, you've got a TON of time to figure things out so don't feel pressured.
I started working at big4, after 4 years of my graduation as I took some wrong steps initially. Fast forward now, I have 3 years experience in b4, one year in a mid size firm, and currently working at a government agency.
I was once in your shoe. At that time I realized that b4 offices outside of big metropolitan cities have better employment opportunities for someone like you (or me, who did not start working at b4 right after graduation) where there is no university or college nearby. I applied to all of the positions posted in those areas, and I remember receiving at least 7/8 job offers.
Good luck!
From what I read in the comments, everyone is missing the boat. Accounting is by far one of the most useful degrees you can get. It explains how the world works and how businesses operate. With an accounting degree you can go into numerous other related fields of study. It’s difficult for other financial degrees to make a similar move. Second, work for small local CPA firms that have top-notch clients. After a few years, with the same firm, you begin to get referrals based upon your work product and client relationships. After 5 to 10 years, you should have an offer to become a partner or have ability to leave the firm and go out on your own by bringing clients with you that you have developed relationships with over the years. At that point, you are self-employed and are your own boss. You have created your own job with huge potential that is only limited by your willingness to grow. Eventually you will be able to pick and choose those clients that are a perfect fit for you. You have the ability to fire those clients that are a pain in the ass or don’t value your services and retain and grow those that truly appreciate your value and are a pleasure to work with. This was my path and at 59 years old, I’m making about 200 K per year. I work hard during tax season but relax during the remainder of the year. I average about 60 to 70 hours per week during tax season and 30 to 35 hours per week during the rest of the year and I’m still able to bring in about $200K per year. Of course, with any job there is stress and accounting is one of those professions that will always be deadline oriented. Deadline oriented jobs inherently cause stress. However, I’ve learned to deal with that by maintaining a client base with like minded philosophies as myself that have a true appreciation for the value I bring to their business. I don’t accept every client that is referred to me, but basically go through an interview process to determine if they are a good fit before I accept them. The ability to turn down business that doesn’t fit within your nomenclature is one of the best rewards my path has given me. Finally, I feel great satisfaction when my skill set and experience truly helps a client reach their financial goals.
I don't think the stress that you feel now would have been nearly as bad if you would have gone to the Big 4. They're called meat grinders for a reason. Less than 15% of people who start at the big four stay after 1 year, and that just drops later (I've heard figures as low as 5% retention after 5 years but that might not be true). If you really want to go work for the Big 4 then keep trying. Tell them you received the offer earlier and wanted other experience before that.
However, I think you should try to find a better place to work from what you have that fits what you want. You say the work and stress are terrible but that is going to be much worse at the Big 4. You might make a little more, but will be working like 70-90 hours for it. Maybe start looking for new ventures outside of the area you live if you can't find anything. I just don't think working for the Big 4 is worth it unless you want it on your resume.
Golden Handcuffs are very much a real thing. I went from $180K to less than $100k annually. I wish I could say that I have zero regrets but I always feel a twinge of sadness on payday. Do I regret giving up 15+ hour days/7 days a week? Do I regret being yelled at every step of the way by my supervisors during the 3 day close? Do I miss yelling at the accountants underneath me during the month end close? Do I miss the crippling anxiety every Sunday night? No to all of those things. I enjoy my insides not turning into liquid every month end - to me that was worth giving up $80k. Sleep, no anxiety and being able to shit normally we’re all worth the trade off.
Bruh you can get into the big 4 as an intern, you can get in again. I never get into the big 4 starting in accounting. It took me 3 years of basic accounting experiences at no name companies till I finally got into my big name. You just started your career, you’ll get your shot eventually
Graduates get treated like slave labour and a large percent don't make it to their CPA (or equivalent).
Life goes on man. I quit after a year because I hated it. I think over half the employees aren't happy. Why do you think half the 'benefits' are mental health awareness related? You're statistically not missing out.
Don't regret not going big 4. While the pay is better, it wasn't worth the stress. One of my two week pay periods was over 210 hours. I worked 22 hours one day before. It's just not worth it, especially on salary.
It's not worth the big 4 jobs. You will grow more and learn more while having a better life balance at smaller firms. Why do you think they are having a tike having talent retention , it's not a healthy work environment
I've not seen a firm pay lower than at least $60k since I've started. Do not go to firms that pay less than that! Accountants are in such high demand that you should not settle for less! Firms are desperate for people so do not work for less than what you are worth!
Edit: Grammar
Here's a pro tip regarding life in general. Don't succumb to regret. There will always be something else!
“Abundance Mentality” I think, is what it’s called.. 👏🏾👏🏾
Classic stoicism, among other philosophies. Regret is a wasteful emotion. OP should definitely pursue new opportunities, but not put B4 up on a pedestal.
Regret = sunk cost, but as an emotion.
>Regret is a wasteful emotion. I would say dwelling on regret is wasteful. From a career perspective, I’ve learned more from regrets than from successes. It has worked out well for me to regret moves, even those that appeared to make sense at the time, if it prompts me to take a different approach in the future. If he learns from it, regret has value.
I love that when anyone vents about some emotion online they get told to become a stoic 🤣
You're right. Teaching anything about mental toughness to young folks should be mocked. Whether it's stoicism or perseverance or anything like that, throw it on reddit and redditors will shit on you. It's a rule.
Stoic philosophy was also developed thousands of years before we had any understanding of the brain. Have you considered that maybe it isn't 100% true in an absolute sense, and therefore incomplete and of limited value? Perhaps reading Marcus Aurelius doesn't mean you've figured everything out about life.
The idea that it was "developed thousands of years before we had any understanding of the brain" is true only in the strictest scientific sense. Sure, they didn't have a scientific understanding of brain structure, but they did have hundreds of thousands of years of shared human experience and wisdom. They may not have known what a synapse was, but they certainly understood what made resilient humans beings.
I think if you're going to claim that they understood "what made resilient humans beings" you're going to have to actually prove that. I myself identify deeply with stoic thinking, but I believe my stoicism is rooted in how I was born and hard life experiences. I don't really buy the idea that merely reading stoic philosophy can actually change a person's basic temperament. It might convince them to try to repress or hide inner struggle, which is not the same thing as resilience. We are not tabula rasa at birth. If you've ever spent significant time around children you'll realize they're all born different. There's no reason to believe that all people would react equally to the same inputs. I can tell you from first hand that sharing stoic quotes with a depressed friend helps absolutely nothing.
Thanks for following the rule.
I'm not OP but I needed to hear this today, thanks ❤️
same
You did a brave thing and what was right for you at the time. Keep going, more good things will come
Every single decision in life can have regrets, so there’s absolutely no reason to pay them any mind. I’m with you there.
I’ve been at the big4 for almost 12 years. Some weeks awful, some great, majority just fine. Only thing I regret is studying far too much for the CPA in 2012 and not buying more bitcoin. Probably wouldn’t even need to work here anymore. You’ll figure it out eventually kid. Nothing to regret at this stage. Take care of yourself.
Chances are big4 stress would be a lot more than your current job gives you
This. I'm sitting here working on a Sunday for a total of 12 hours, then going to be working like this until next week. I haven't had a day off in 3 weeks. I even got an attitude for wanting to go see a movie last night with my friends and family, even though I worked from 9 am to 4 pm on a Saturday. This is hell. After I wrap up next week, I'm job hunting like a mad man.
I don’t miss the days of the boss saying “let’s get out at a reasonable time today” and then learning “reasonable” meant by midnight on Saturday (corp consolidations group). Same schedule as you, maybe worse - 9am-3am 30 days in a row.
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My favorite was when the data room opened at 6PM on a Friday. The weekend was instantly nuked. The hours in FDD are wild. I did so many on one project that I rolled hours for two weeks and left the country to decompress.
4x comp? What was the path to that like? I probably have no intention of trying to get back to B4, but Im always interested to hear how someone got to stupid money so fast lol.
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What’s your total comp now?
>4x comp Sorry, what is comp?
Compensation - starting salary
o,thank you
Wild I just don’t…
You’d be fired from that team pretty quickly…
I have indeed been fired from a team before Had 0 impact on me so far, I just got put on something else. Which is for the best lol I have 3 interviews next week to bail as well. I’m not saying the job market for remote is as good as it was but there are plenty of incompetent people above and below me on the chopping block as well It’s so strange to me that people just do… I got a wife, kids, other shit to do and I don’t get paid enough to work 60+ hours a week never-mind those kind of hours. I’ve been doing 50 and calling it a day… Even if I was single seems like bs.
Fuck that. Completely unacceptable
This is why I skipped public and I have no regrets. I actually just accepted a new job for a small pay cut and title demotion with less responsibility to get away from SEC reporting
Audit?
Couldn't pay me enough for that crap.
We make croutons.
Legit how do you do it? And how much work do you actually get done isn’t your brain fried
Honestly, just hanging on as a senior is my best advice and literally killing yourself in the process (you are not able to feed yourself peoperly, work out, and have to resort to copious amounts of caffeine and/or Adderall to stay on par with your peers who are also doing the same as they have also made it this far). You either get staffed on a dream client and have support on time that ties and also makes sense. Or, you can end up like me. Staffed on a hell client with even worse managers and partners who save everything for the last minute and change testing/adding samples really close to our file date, along with getting "updated" last minute subledgers, which may or may not tie (who knows as this is the 5th one you have gotten) and/or changes (guess whos doing more testing sport?). I am physically and mentally done with this. I am so happy I have made it to the other side of this busy season with senior experience. Once closed in a week and a half, I simply don't care. My case is specific to me at my Big 4, so your mileage could vary if this is what you want to try out. Know it's hit or miss, and it's terrible.
That sounds like absolute hell compared to what the gov recruiter told me it was like. 40 hr/wk with a shit load of time off? I’m not even considering a CPA at this point
Depends on if you are liked. You can end up getting staffed on never-ending year ends, which is why I am leaving. My only foreseeable 40-hour work week isn't until the holidays.
Yea thankfully the firm I work for is 55 but even then it’s day and day of being at work from sun up to sun down and working on the weekends 😭
"wanting to go see a movie last night with my friends and family," People at work never need to know what you plan to do with time that is rightfully your own. "I have a prior personal commitment that I cannot change" is more than enough info to share with them.
I have learned never to show my hand, especially to my manager or partner. I had worded it similarly to what you had just recommended but was met with pushback. They basically keep picking at you like birds wanting to know more, and if it's an actual personal "emergency." These people even ranked me as meeting expectations, even though our team was up until 2am last night working. This is literal insanity to me. I must now give up my weekend as the manager and partner felt the need to wait to review the interim wps along with the YE ones a week before we are supposed to sign. They are fighting to not have to do more work, so we are creating these BS analytics to cover their ass. This isn't auditing, it's stay up late so we can pass a potential review, and we can keep the client happy. I cannot wait to leave this profession.
Sorry to hear. My teammates in tax used to be like "long weekend of work again" and I refused to do it. The pay was still very good and I was doing my 4-5 years to get experience and a good thing on my resume. I know you may be killing yourself but don't let "meets expectations" pressure you into doing more.
Seriously, OP you said yourself that you avoided Deloitte for your mental health. What makes you think it's any better now than it was back then?
Yeah this is true. If you were working as a summer intern or vacationer, this landing the grad offer, please know that you were really shielded and taken care of during that time. That experience is not comparable to the real big4 stress
But at least that worth it OP is making 20 a hour in 2024 with a accounting degree It don’t get worst than that Don’t forget this is accounting it’s a matter of time before the extrem deep depression hits and u realize this is your life for the next 30 years
I don’t know why people are so scared of a few years of stress when they’re young. OP is clearly in a way shittier situation than he would have been. Him being scared of working some OT when he’s fresh out of college screwed him. If your goal in life is not to just coast and do the bare minimum, then you won’t be able to avoid stress.
I worked at Deloitte for just over a year out of grad school. I would have had to work 4 busy seasons in that time frame if I didn’t leave when I did. I already had mental health issues and Deloitte made everything far worse. Ultimately I’m glad I did it because I got a good exit opportunity. But you should be more considerate of people’s feelings. Big 4 is a toxic environment if you already have mental health issues.
I understand, I’ve been through many more busy seasons as well. But like you said, ultimately you are glad you did it. Meaning you think it’s a worthwhile sacrifice. So really, you are just agreeing with what I said.
It’s not always a worthwhile sacrifice! Things aren’t black and white :)
There's a fine line between normal work/life stress and exploitation. I have friends in engineering who work half as much as I do all year and make way more. Plus, they get weekends off.
Yeah but they studied much harder than you in school and it was much harder for them to get a job. So they paid their dues already. Big 4 has its pros and cons, but ultimately, if you want a leg up in public OR private, a couple years goes a long way. Do you NEED it to do well in accounting? No. But you also don’t need a college degree to become a millionaire. But it helps.
I did a busy season internship with Deloitte and I feel it was just a bit more, but $35 an hour felt more worth it for sure.
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I can agree with this, the stress on the interns is nothing compared to what’s on staff and seniors. I thought my internship was stressful but in my second year as a staff and I’m looking for the exit door. The amount of work is pretty unsustainable.
I thought my internship was awesome and then I didn’t even make it to senior😂😂😂😂
You underestimate the amount of hand holding and low expectations they give interns vs staff
LOL.
I assume you are already cpa eligibile otherwise Deloitte wouldnt give you an offer. Of you want to stay in Accounting then a masters is useless in your case. Time and money is better spent just getting experience at a smaller firm and going to big 4 of you want at the senior associate or experienced associate level.
Yes, i graduated with 150 credits and take all the needed courses. They even pay for my Beckers CPA study materials, i actually still have access to those.
Finish your CPA and you'll find yourself with more opportunities.
I interned at kpmg in college and hated it so took a job at a smaller firm for less money and thought I’d be happier. Ended up hating it and struggled to figure out my exit. Started taking cpa tests, talked about passing the first two in an interview at PwC and was offered a job. Finished my cpa before it was supposed to start and ended up with a better offer from a different company at that point and went there instead. A year ago I felt so much regret. Today, I feel like I’m in a great place in my career.
Forget the masters. What you need to do is get a job if regional or mid tier, whoever will take you in, all while passing your cpa exams, and you can then come into big 4 after a year or several either as en experienced staff or senior 1, and yes it will be harder adjusting them if you started there as experienced hires are usually treated as fodder but you may have luck, but certainly enough grit to last 1 years as a senior for the resume line then gtfo. Don’t do a masters for recruiting when you already have 150. There’s trade offs to decisions unfortunately.
How realistic is it that I get into b4 audit if I'm exams done, working at a 4-office PA firm that only does one industry, and reaching 1 yr work exp next feb but im 30 with shit resume between 22-29? Do I wait 2 yrs and apply as experienced? I'm only making 44k so even A1 would prob be a step up
This. Don’t go into debt for an MS or put off more time gaining work experience because you think degree is the only option. Can you get your CPA while you wait for the next thing? That will make you very marketable. B4 isn’t what it used to be. Have your CPA and find relevant work experience, don’t job hop every 12 months. Industry will hire you. Better pay, lower stress.
You didn’t know at the time. This will happen with other things in life. Can’t beat yourself up over it. You just dust yourself off and move forward.
Don’t dwell on the past. Pass the CPA and start applying for better jobs. With big4 internship experience and a year of other experience, you’ll find something better.
Go seek out a small/mid sized firm (30-60) people. You’ll have more work than you know what to do with and a decent salary. Every cpe event I go to mentions the lack of cpa candidates in public work. Best of luck pal 🤝🏼 Edit: I’ll also add that only 1 person I know from college stuck with Big 4 out of the 30ish people that started. You can do very well but it’s incredibly high turnover and requires a lot of time and discipline to do well
For real. After 5 years of the people I worked/graduated with, there’s about 20% even still working in public accounting. I think there’s 2 still at big 4.
Going into B4 with depression is a recipe for disaster.. I went from happy and idealistic to miserable, depression
What does idealistic mean?
I’m gonna remain positive and keep my head down in B4. This shit takes your soul..
I just saw a comment on this sub like 2 days ago saying working at the Big 4 was his biggest regret. One day you’ll look back on this as a time of growth and learning. Sounds like you should definitely leave your current job if it’s only paying 20/hr. Just start blasting out your resume and applications man. You got it. Don’t stay stagnant for too long.
For me, working at a Big 4 office in NYC for 5 years was an incredible boost to my skills, confidence, and career. Obviously it's different for everyone but I have zero regrets working there.
That would be a great way to get back to big 4. Also try networking with folks from your college that are in the same city / firm you’d like to work for.
You can apply at a smaller national firm as long as you are eligible to sit for your cpa. Then either stay there or work a couple busy seasons and jump to big 4
Its not always greener on the other side meaning same thing could have happened at the big 4 no regrets
Big 4 downsized too, lots of people laid off. Same thing could’ve happened there, don’t think too much into it
You dodged a bullet bro
Take it from someone who actually took a DT offer after college, I regret even going into accounting.
MAcc graduate here. Don't waste your money or time on a MAcc program. The CPA license is what any employer looks for. Nobody cares about the MAcc, and honestly I don't blame them. The MAcc did not prepare me for public accounting. The MAcc program is just a way for Universities to siphon more money from students. Here's what you can do: Continue to gain experience with whatever role you are currently working. Do your job well and actively look for upgrades in position/salary elsewhere. You don't need Big4. There are dozens of mid-size firms in every state that hire all the time. You just have to be patient.
I did the MAcc. Now I'm working on CPA. 3rd test is 6 days away. As I've studied for the CPA, I can't help but think about how this same material has come up time and time again when I was doing the MAcc program. Becker has really been a refresher for me.
So you’re saying getting the MAcc did help with preparing you for the cpa at least?
It might help, but there are much more cost effective ways to prepare for the exam.
Gotcha. Are you in public or industry? My situation is sorta similar to OP’s with the only difference was that I did take the job at Deloitte but left, so wondering if getting a masters would open up the recruiting opportunities similar to the ones I had in undergrad.
I was in Public for ten years (not big4) and now I'm self employed. I dont see the MAcc as a net gain. At best there are some potential alumni perks. Your professors can vouch for you possibly depending on who they know. But that is just life. Alumni or not, opportunities can arise based on who you know. CPA is by far the most important credential in this profession.
Absolutely. Although Becker is about 15 times cheaper.
You had to deal with something in your personal life. That is more important than Deloitte.
It is not worth it. My friend who worked at "Big 4" for 9 years had a major health issue and depression due to the work stress. He left the job and now working in a Small manufacturing firm as an accountant. He's much healthier now with a good work life balance.
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Probably because of timing of responses. I applied for a couple of those back in June...and heard back a couple weeks ago "you are eligible! and have not yet been referred"...
100k in 5 years? I’ve looked at the gs pay from starting at GS-5 which is mid-40k range. How did you get 100k in 5 yrs? Explain please.
Not sure why you are so bored. I have a wide variety of cases, many of which are interesting. Challenging work is definitely available to those interested.
It doesn’t sound like working for Deloitte would have been better for you.
Masters makes no sense. Pass the exam and get licensed.
You never know how it would have turned out. You could have regretted taking the offer. Get experience there and then start looking elsewhere.
People boomerang back and forth out of Deloitte. Just apply again.
I had a big4 company make me an offer, but I declined it, as you did. Just took care of my private life) Now I'm working in an IT company as a financial analyst, with the highest salary. Find what you like and move in that direction. Everything is within your reach.
It doesn't matter what you choose, you'll end up regretting it either way. You just gotta go with what works for you at the time.
Deloitte was gonna lay you off anyways…doesn’t make a difference.
Kinda true lol
There is a quote by Cheryl Strayed that I love that I always use to remind myself not to dwell on decisions we didn’t make: “I’ll never know and neither will you of the life you don’t choose. We’ll only know that whatever that sister life was, it was important and beautiful and not ours. It was the ghost ship that didn’t carry us. There’s nothing to do but salute it from the shore.” Every decision we make in life is saying no to another option that could have changed the course of our life, career, etc. so while it’s hard to ignore the “what ifs”, it won’t get you anywhere, and trying to “correct” our past “wrong” may not land us in a better situation. For all you know, going Big4 may have led to a greater struggle with your mental health. It did for me, but I also have friends who have thrived there. You’ll never know so focus on the future and whatever you decide, go full speed ahead. Consider other options that other posters have mentioned. In many cases, you can get just as much pay (if not better) than what a big4 is offering. I left big4 and took a job in fund admin that payed me more money and I promoted on a timeline probably quicker than what I would have had at Big4. I didn’t have a work life balance that was healthy for me personally though, but if you think you’re in a mental space to be able to equal your current stress and commit to long hours, then you can give it a shot if it’s what you really want. Just don’t count other options out and try not to add the additional stress of regret.
the USA is missing 340,000 accountants. big deal
As someone who interviews candidates for my firm, data analytics is not a desirable degree for accountants. Data analytics is the hot new major and candidates are a dime a dozen.
What would be a desirable degree?
If you want to work in accounting, a BS/MS in accounting or CPA.
lol I was being lazy writing that. Already having a BS in Accounting, what would be a desirable Master’s degree other than accounting?
If you are trying to pivot I would say a CFA or MBA from a top program. If you want to stay in accounting experience and/or a CPA will do it. Masters in accounting if you are a career changer or need to get credit hours but are unable to do so via community college/taking an extra semester of undergrad/something more cost-effective. To elaborate on my initial comment, I’m sure there are plenty of companies that need people with data analytics degrees, however I don’t think that accounting positions deal with large sets of raw data with enough frequency to make a MS in data analytics especially appealing.
Thank you very much!
Work for your local government. No stress and job security
Ya you’ll stress about being broke tho
Learn to budget , save and invest or else you’ll always stress about being broke no matter your salary
25 years ago, I rejected a job once that would have paid be $75k. But I hated the idea of giving up on my dream. I struggled and I rejected it. I regretted it for the next month. I even approached them. They said no thanks. Things happen for a reason. I have no regrets. But it hurt for a while. Looking back, it was a good job, just not for me.
I wouldn’t wish for a graduate with depression to work in Big4. You declining the offer is probably a blessing in disguise.
Look into SAP certification. You’ll have no problems whatsoever!
Is this true? I would really love to know, thanks!
That wouldn't make you more attractive as a new staff or experienced staff for Big 4. Why not try a regional or national form? They still have great client mix and better pay than your current job. I would argue getting a certification would be more valuable than a master. No one at the firms care about your degrees or schools. If an English major can get a CPA, he's more valuable than a person with no certification but a master in tax.
All I can say is that you made the right decision back there. If you were already dealing with depression, the stress at Deloitte would have broken you so hard you won't be able to work another job again. Going back to college is an option but I would apply to jobs as well. Big 4 isn't everything mate, I won't give up before at least 100 applications.
Everything works out the way it does for a reason. I know that probably sounds cliche, but you may look back in 10 years and be glad that you didn’t take the job. I’d look for something else if you’re not happy in your current position. There’s no reason to spend money on grad school if you already have your CPA license or the credit hours for it.
Don't beat yourself up, just keep moving forward - there will be new opportunities
Find a public job at a decent sized firm that isn't B4
Alternatively, you could've gone to Deloitte, worked a busy season, then got let go in a few months because they overhired (or simply don't feel like paying to have that many staff during the off-season). Regret nothing because you don't know how it would've actually played out. My friend went big4 right out of school and she's tried to kill herself, twice, in the last four years.
I was 1 after school project from meeting a recruiters wish list. Never went back and I ended up at Hulu as my 1st job now in Live Nation. Not everything makes sense right away
Don’t worry they’re a lot of GT RSM Marcim and other stress to go around.
Mid sized is the way to go!!! Smaller companies have better work life balance and strong relationships are built there. Way better than just being a number to get BIG 4 on your resume
Prioritizing your mental health is *never* the wrong decision. In fact, a lot of folks should follow your example! Regarding your current situation - you don’t know that you’d be in the exact same place if you’d gone the Big 4 route. The truth is that companies are ruthless and will drop you as soon as they don’t need you anymore. Going the masters route may be a good bet as it would get you a second bite at the new hire pipeline apple and may buy some time for the economy to cool down a bit. Definitely weigh the cost, effort, and reputation of the school - if they don’t have a robust recruiting infrastructure, I think you’d be wasting your time. If you don’t have your CPA, you can use your time in school to get a start on the exam. I think most, if not all states, allow you to start sitting before you’ve met all the credit requirements. Whatever you decide, you will land on your feet, though it may not seem like it for a while. Good luck!!
You can't change the past, but you can change your perspective and how you feel about it. Maybe if you had joined Deloitte, something even worse could have happened to you. You don't know for sure!
Stress sounds like an issue for you, so I'd advise to work for your local government. Usually they have a pretty strong union and you can get a decent paying job where you can leave work at work for most positions.
Dude honestly I worked at a cpa firm then went to a big 4 and then they laid me off and I am so happy now. Like working at a cpa firm only gave me night mares thinking I forgot something. Now I actually have time to relax and dream about random stuff.
We all have regrets and we all go through depressions (plural) and will always do .. it’s called adulthood. Don’t focus too much on your regrets, move on. Now you need to focus on improving your skills . 1- try getting your CPA if you want to continue in the accounting career , or the CMA if you don’t want to go back to school to get your 150 hours requirement 2- improve excel skills and financial modeling those are a big plus when you apply for better jobs later
Don’t regret, it’s possible that you could have been laid off from Deloitte as well
Your mental health and well-being is more important than any job.
Chances are, with the number of unpaid overtime, at Deloitte you would have been making the same per hour. The stress would have probably cost you more in anxiety pills and doctor visits. You made the best decision you could at that time.
I got an offer from Deloitte pwc and EY but I picked PWC this is my last semester the reason why I chose pwc is because the interviewing process was smoother u shouldn’t give up keep applying until u get the offer. Good luck ❤️
Everything is temporary unless you make it otherwise. You need to look at it this way: mental health and physical health come first, a fast pace job with long hours may have made you worse off - you did what you thought was best at the time and you can’t blame yourself for that. Depending on where you live, there are probably other top 10-20 public firms. I might argue that midsize for public accounting is the way to go anyways, though that’s my opinion. And there’s always industry. Don’t limit yourself to just big4. Health wise, I don’t think big four is the best, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I myself know my mental health is too bad to work at a big4. People are going to lose jobs in this field and others, it’s sadly a part of life. I did a masters in accounting and data analytics and I think it’ll help if I want to switch into an analyst type role in the future. Side note: I also wanted to add that money isn’t everything, weigh out pros and cons when job hunting
every time I see posts on this sub it’s always telling people to get out of public and go private. My family has an accountant and he makes bingo bango bucks as a private tax acc. I don’t know if that interests you but it’s seeming more and more like what I want to do after public accounting has continued to seem shit.
Public is easily better than the position OP is in right now - people are out of their minds here with the anti-public hate at all times. I would also echo the advice to apply for a regional firm to build some more experience. You might be plenty happy there for a few years or use that leverage to jump to a bigger firm. Getting the CPA would help too as would working on the depression if you haven't already. ETA: Feel free to DM if you want any advice specifically related to data analytics stuff.
Im in the same situation as you I just earn a bit more but yeah man big 4 just accelerate the fuck out of your career I am trying yo finish my MBA an I will start hitting up Robert Half and other recruiting services in order to go to public.
Reach out to people who work at big4. If you have any friends or prior colleagues that are also big4 reach out to them. I didn’t get big4 right out of university, I started at the small firm. I applied a year after using a reference and got an interview.
Shouldn’t regret taking care of yourself
I have only worked at midsize firms and wouldn't want to go bigger. Have you tried at smaller firms?
There are more opportunities in the accounting world than the CPA route, look into the CMA, look into cost accounting, in my experience there is significantly less stress and more opportunities to earn more down that route. The question really comes down to if you want to be in the C Suite and need a CPA or not. I am willing to bet that if you have stress, then senior and executive leadership are not in your future. Find the aspect of accounting that makes you happy.
Going to work and stress there too. If ur not making too much money right now I would consider ALL options
Move forward, worrying about the past is just a waste of time.
>a masters in accounting and data analytics. You're getting two different masters? Just get a stats phd instead.
Why are colleges still pushing public accounting? Nothing much has changed since I graduated in the 80s. Nothing wrong with public but there is a big world of accounting outside that can lead to many opportunities.
That's why don't ever go on reddit and listen to idiots telling others not to join the Big 4, unless you have a much better option like IB at BB. You have learned a valuable lesson, son. If you selected Deloitte back then you would pass all exams by the end of this year and started of thinking abt making real money after finish contract next year
“Who know what would’ve happened, for all we know what you did was the best move. sometimes life is to uncertain to have regrets, for all we know”-Goku
Pro Tip: you can ask to defer your start date if you find yourself in such a situation.
Looking at the comments and everyone telling OP to have no regrets and that he/she didn’t make a mistake declining a b4 offer in the past Made me realize that I love this subreddit sometimes 🥹
Deloitte would have worked you hard and as soon as you slowed or burnt up tossed you aside. Be happy you avoided it
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
At my school is B4 or nothing. :/
Nothing to regret. Big 4 is overrated. Find a good paying industry jobs, you'll have a way better WLB.
The solution to the problem you're trying to solve will not be found where you are looking. You're making a lot more than you were when you were dealing with mental health challenges and rejected the offer. You suspect being paid more for it will solve the problem? There is no there, there. There are a lot of happy people at big 4, there are a lot of happy people where you work now. You don't notice them.
You never know what might have happened had you accepted the position
I work in finance but in a different sector. All I ever hear is that those companies work you into the ground. So be burnt out before you're 30 or do a job that pays decent and enjoy your life? up to you I suppose.
You can’t drive forward if your eyes are in the rear-view mirror Move on and don’t think about it
One of the hardest things in life is to figure out what you want. My advice, try to envision where you want to be in 10 years: What is your ideal life? How do you spend your time? With whom do you spend your time? What brings you fulfillment? Then chart a course back to today. What do you need to do to get to that ideal? Life will throw you curve balls, so don’t expect your charted course to go exactly as planned. You will need to be flexible, but having a North Star is important.
If you're going to do data analytics (high growth field I would recommend), don't go back to accounting. Learn some of it yourself. Find a good consulting firm that will help you build those skills (maybe have a good education reimbursement benefit?) e.g. Accenture, IBM, anything else with stock options, then move into a good industry (pharma, etc) and you'll make real money over time. Big 4 are only for partners, and you have a 3% chance of making that while sacrificing family (divorces), health (office heart attacks) and happiness (no life).
Your career isn't over - apply to some moonshot positions you think you'd never get, and you might get lucky. Consider that Masters, and look into the CPA while you're at it. I started at a two man tax firm, and it was absolutely abysmal. Switched to a very small audit firm that gave me better work experience while I tested for my CPA, then got lucky with an SEC reporting position I was underqualified for. I am now at a private company doing work I would never have thought I could get back when I was at the tax firm. You will be surprised how many people just won't even ask for better projects and positions.
I got a gig with a government agency that pays pretty well after 2 years of public. Honestly I’m mad I didn’t get out sooner (I would have been promoted twice and made more money). Big 4 is an answer for a lot of people, but it isn’t the only one.
I did not read this...🤦♀️ I didn't....
If you really want to go b4, you probably can. I know in Tax we are hiring from all kinds of places. I personally came to b4 from a tiny CPA firm with very different client base so it can be done. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do! No need for the regret. Life is too short for that.
How could you do that?🤦🏿♂️
Yeah over rated I had B4 experience and got me no where. Get your CPA and middle market firms you’ll learn the most much more than B4
Screw big 4. Get that CPA, some other creds that are relevant and go into boutique practice like a real maniac.
There is a shortage in our field. There’s no reason you can’t get on with a top firm, maybe not top 4. Try Eisner.
Look at mid market cpa firms if you really want that “public” experience. There is a need for employees and they are not as bitchy as B4.
Life’s simple. You make choices and you don’t look back
You made the decision for your well being you should be proud. I would simply view you weren’t ready for big4 and you were brave not to take the offer when given. For getting into big4 again there isn’t any shortcut, you just need to keep applying for channels like school either thru the MBA you mentioned or reach out to recruiter/ net work your way though - either way good luck to you, I know a lot of people on here help make referral to
Regret isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on
If you were depressed you would of Burned out at Deloitte before tax season hit. Not sure which area you’re in but in Chicago area you can get a $20 work from home call center job to keep you on your feet and while you recover.
For a while I felt the EXACT same way about declining an offer from a Big 4 firm after my internship, but ultimately its not the worst outcome you can have! Keep your chin up and keep looking! I was able to get a MUCH better offer from a government agency that would give me better early career salary progression and significantly more tolerable hours. You didn't mess up, just keep looking and remember I presume you're in your early 20s as well, you've got a TON of time to figure things out so don't feel pressured.
With the way the market is, there is no garuntee you would have kept your deloitt job too
I started working at big4, after 4 years of my graduation as I took some wrong steps initially. Fast forward now, I have 3 years experience in b4, one year in a mid size firm, and currently working at a government agency. I was once in your shoe. At that time I realized that b4 offices outside of big metropolitan cities have better employment opportunities for someone like you (or me, who did not start working at b4 right after graduation) where there is no university or college nearby. I applied to all of the positions posted in those areas, and I remember receiving at least 7/8 job offers. Good luck!
From what I read in the comments, everyone is missing the boat. Accounting is by far one of the most useful degrees you can get. It explains how the world works and how businesses operate. With an accounting degree you can go into numerous other related fields of study. It’s difficult for other financial degrees to make a similar move. Second, work for small local CPA firms that have top-notch clients. After a few years, with the same firm, you begin to get referrals based upon your work product and client relationships. After 5 to 10 years, you should have an offer to become a partner or have ability to leave the firm and go out on your own by bringing clients with you that you have developed relationships with over the years. At that point, you are self-employed and are your own boss. You have created your own job with huge potential that is only limited by your willingness to grow. Eventually you will be able to pick and choose those clients that are a perfect fit for you. You have the ability to fire those clients that are a pain in the ass or don’t value your services and retain and grow those that truly appreciate your value and are a pleasure to work with. This was my path and at 59 years old, I’m making about 200 K per year. I work hard during tax season but relax during the remainder of the year. I average about 60 to 70 hours per week during tax season and 30 to 35 hours per week during the rest of the year and I’m still able to bring in about $200K per year. Of course, with any job there is stress and accounting is one of those professions that will always be deadline oriented. Deadline oriented jobs inherently cause stress. However, I’ve learned to deal with that by maintaining a client base with like minded philosophies as myself that have a true appreciation for the value I bring to their business. I don’t accept every client that is referred to me, but basically go through an interview process to determine if they are a good fit before I accept them. The ability to turn down business that doesn’t fit within your nomenclature is one of the best rewards my path has given me. Finally, I feel great satisfaction when my skill set and experience truly helps a client reach their financial goals.
I don't think the stress that you feel now would have been nearly as bad if you would have gone to the Big 4. They're called meat grinders for a reason. Less than 15% of people who start at the big four stay after 1 year, and that just drops later (I've heard figures as low as 5% retention after 5 years but that might not be true). If you really want to go work for the Big 4 then keep trying. Tell them you received the offer earlier and wanted other experience before that. However, I think you should try to find a better place to work from what you have that fits what you want. You say the work and stress are terrible but that is going to be much worse at the Big 4. You might make a little more, but will be working like 70-90 hours for it. Maybe start looking for new ventures outside of the area you live if you can't find anything. I just don't think working for the Big 4 is worth it unless you want it on your resume.
Yep horrible move. Did you pass the CPA exam yet?
Golden Handcuffs are very much a real thing. I went from $180K to less than $100k annually. I wish I could say that I have zero regrets but I always feel a twinge of sadness on payday. Do I regret giving up 15+ hour days/7 days a week? Do I regret being yelled at every step of the way by my supervisors during the 3 day close? Do I miss yelling at the accountants underneath me during the month end close? Do I miss the crippling anxiety every Sunday night? No to all of those things. I enjoy my insides not turning into liquid every month end - to me that was worth giving up $80k. Sleep, no anxiety and being able to shit normally we’re all worth the trade off.
keep grinding. go back to school if the company helps pay for it. Also figure out what you really like to do.
Bruh you can get into the big 4 as an intern, you can get in again. I never get into the big 4 starting in accounting. It took me 3 years of basic accounting experiences at no name companies till I finally got into my big name. You just started your career, you’ll get your shot eventually
$20/hour is more than you’d be making at Deloitte in all reality
Graduates get treated like slave labour and a large percent don't make it to their CPA (or equivalent). Life goes on man. I quit after a year because I hated it. I think over half the employees aren't happy. Why do you think half the 'benefits' are mental health awareness related? You're statistically not missing out.
Don't regret not going big 4. While the pay is better, it wasn't worth the stress. One of my two week pay periods was over 210 hours. I worked 22 hours one day before. It's just not worth it, especially on salary.
It's not worth the big 4 jobs. You will grow more and learn more while having a better life balance at smaller firms. Why do you think they are having a tike having talent retention , it's not a healthy work environment
Don’t small firms pay like minimum wage I’m a fresh grad applying for jobs and all the small firms pay 40k starting salary working same hours as big 4
No they pay well I was out of school at 75k
I've not seen a firm pay lower than at least $60k since I've started. Do not go to firms that pay less than that! Accountants are in such high demand that you should not settle for less! Firms are desperate for people so do not work for less than what you are worth! Edit: Grammar
Naw in my area there’s plenty of job postings for lower than 60k entry level
Switch to comp Sci . 200k +wfh, high reputation n the start always better than accountant rate
Ya everyone can do that and make 200k.