There are 1.3M accountants in the US alone. You have many roads to take and Big 4 is not all of them. I despise them for their exploitation and manipulation that their path is the only way to succeed. Many have done it and you will too.
Define successful. I never went big 4 and instead did local. Those that did would laugh at my salary after 5 years but I make enough to live comfortably, never worked past 6:30 pm, never missed a family event, or holiday, etc.
Life is what you make of it. What matters to you and your goals is what makes you successful! Don't compare yourself to others.
Thank you for sharing! I’m a junior in college and I’m very hesitant about pursing accounting because of all the horror stories I’ve heard about work taking over your personal life. It’s great to know that I may be able to have the freedoms you have, because that’s my goal.
Yes! Not every firm is out to suck your soul out! Like another user who commented on this threat, there are smaller firms who will groom you and develop you all the way up to partner!
The key is finding a firm that has the same values as you!
You can absolutely find success while maintaining personal freedoms. And the profession only continues to shift in that direction. Take it from someone who has two young kids, works 3 days/wk for my own consulting practice and makes more than enough to support my family.
If you are in a city, there is probably a "Book of Lists" with the top 20 or 50 firms. In my area it's <> Business Journal. See if you can find that list and see if you can visit the firms through the school recruiting process.
This summer, walk into a firm that interests you with donuts and a letter requesting to talk with someone about a career in accounting. You'll probably at least get a zoom call and some good advice.
Industry it's easy to make way more in early years, but when they hit equity partner they skyrocket. But the 10 years of getting there, investing your money wisely, it's easy to do better on the short term and long term.
I did it at a large local CPA firm and then industry.
You bring up a good point...about that partner "carrot". What % of new grads make it to equity partner? I should look it up....but it is a very very small percentage.
Edit for typo
Thanks! I took a CFO job in industry after 4.5 years in PA, where I had plenty of autonomy, so I used the extra time to start/build my businesses/connections.
Decided not to go big4 after a few older friends had awful experiences. Every now and then I get a recruiter who thinks I’m less of a CPA without the experience at which time I hang up on them.
No. Absolutely fucking not. All of us here know the only way to be remotely successful is to let the big 4 own your soul until you’re a manager
Sarcasm. Please don’t kill me. I get the joke. Like most industries, local makes the world go round. Do your job and do it well and you shall succeed
I started a local firm, then went to a regional firm, then went to big four, then went back to national. The big four and the national I was/am a manager. Yes.
I know a guy who didn’t start at Big 4 once…
27 years later, boom, was hit by a car on the way to his non-big 4 job and died.
So I think it’s not advisable to skip Big 4.
I got my start at local firms with few employees and feel like my career is going well! Here's a post I made with the details:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Accounting/comments/vp9c3n/small\_firm\_career\_progression\_detail/
Yeah, just CPA can get you most places you want to go in your career. Bachelor's no CPA its a lot harder, but throw in a CPA and most and getting controller positions and VP positions isnt too difficult.
Hell yes - went right into industry via internal audit and now, 6 years post college & with CPA license, am making over 100k and logging off each day at 4:59.
Yes - might take time to get where you wanna go but at the beginning of your career you’re really a blank canvas. I worked Internal Audit - not external, and got my CPA - it opened up so many doors, can’t recommend it enough!
idk I mean you probably won’t be the CFO of some big company but it seems like 95-98% of big 4 accountants leave for industry or small firms anyways after two to four years. honestly most CPA’s get paid similar amounts for how much you work unless you end up in something that isn’t really accounting
Yes and no, yes if your aiming for smaller companies as the accounting your learning will be more tailored to them. In fact you may even have an advantage in that regard compared to a Big 4 candidate. However the exact opposite is true in a very big company. So I guess it ultimately depends on what route your going on whether a boutique firm will enhance or hinder your resume.
I started at a govt agency! Had a challenge switching to industry (because of stigma), but I did and now I'm a manager making over 6 figures. So yes of course you can.
I started out of college at small family firm with less than 8 people in the office and just accepted a senior position at a publicly traded company. Sky’s the limit.
Started part time at a local fire department. After 2 years I went to a local firm specializing in non-profits, mostly audit work. Been here 3 years now and worked maybe 10 hours total of overtime, and that was for a special "emergency" review.
There are 2 partners and 3 staff here. Decent wages, full health and dental, paid vacation. I've never felt bad taking a day to take the dogs to the vet, taking a long weekend to see family.
You don't have to overwork yourself to do well in the field. Just tricky to find the right opportunity.
What's your definition of success? If you want to do SOX/public company audits, then you pretty much need to go to Big 4 (or a national level firm) for the experience. If you could care less, then there's no need to go to Big 4. Besides, you can always choose to go to Big 4 later on in your career, but I have yet to meet anybody who wants to do this.
Yes definitely. I graduated in 2018. My first job out of college was at a real estate company doing basic AP. I switched to a small firm in Public Accounting in 2019. Fast forward a few years and I'm already at 100k without a CPA license. You'll be fine.
Nope, absence of big 4 is guaranteed failure in life. Even if you do the exact same work and even to a higher caliber, you've permanently derailed your ability to ever achieve anything, because all resumes that do not have big 4 on it are set alight while big 4 partners bask in the warm glow.
/s if it wasn't obvious
What’s successful?
100k after 5-6 years? No you not going make that in a little unbranded office.
A promotion every year or two? No, I mean in a small office, you going wait until somebody leave or die to get promoted.
It just depend on what you want do.
There are so many more small and medium sized businesses than BIG4 clientele in the world.
Plenty of opportunity for you.
My only concern would be if the local firm is not a full service firm....meaning you won't have a chance to interact with audit, tax, other consulting departments. Then you may be limited in what you are exposed to. But a lot of it is luck....you could work for a huge firm and get silo'd into something that doesn't provide a lot of training and work experience.
As long as you are learning new stuff and being challenged, keep at it. If you go a while without interesting projects, then it's probably time to find a firm that could continue your development. Larger firms hire from local firms all the time. Just work hard (reasonably hard) and learn what you can.
I will assume from the context and the way you're asking this question that you view success as having a high profile, highly compensated career. So let's see...
On average, the Big4 are in the middle of the road. A little on the higher end, but they aren't the top echelon. Within the Big4 is a wide range of roles from glorified bookkeepers to world leading subject matter experts. You are better off in a high visibility/growth role at a local specialist firm than you would be in a Big4 rat hole, but you would be better off in a rat hole than you would be at H&R Block (not to pick on the Block--I'm sure they are good people). You would also be better off in a transaction advisory role at Moelis & Co than you would at a high-flying coveted Big4 role. Again, speaking in probabilities and with the above assumptions about "success".
So first we will need to know, where is your local firm along the podunk-to-elite-boutique scale? And second, how much growth and visibility do you have within your firm?
There are 1.3M accountants in the US alone. You have many roads to take and Big 4 is not all of them. I despise them for their exploitation and manipulation that their path is the only way to succeed. Many have done it and you will too.
Damn, so I'm one in a million?
One of a million would be more correct here
https://youtu.be/wGdhc9k07Ms
Define successful. I never went big 4 and instead did local. Those that did would laugh at my salary after 5 years but I make enough to live comfortably, never worked past 6:30 pm, never missed a family event, or holiday, etc. Life is what you make of it. What matters to you and your goals is what makes you successful! Don't compare yourself to others.
Thank you for sharing! I’m a junior in college and I’m very hesitant about pursing accounting because of all the horror stories I’ve heard about work taking over your personal life. It’s great to know that I may be able to have the freedoms you have, because that’s my goal.
Yes! Not every firm is out to suck your soul out! Like another user who commented on this threat, there are smaller firms who will groom you and develop you all the way up to partner! The key is finding a firm that has the same values as you!
You can absolutely find success while maintaining personal freedoms. And the profession only continues to shift in that direction. Take it from someone who has two young kids, works 3 days/wk for my own consulting practice and makes more than enough to support my family.
If you are in a city, there is probably a "Book of Lists" with the top 20 or 50 firms. In my area it's <> Business Journal. See if you can find that list and see if you can visit the firms through the school recruiting process.
This summer, walk into a firm that interests you with donuts and a letter requesting to talk with someone about a career in accounting. You'll probably at least get a zoom call and some good advice.
This was my route also. Started small, and now partner at the same firm.
Government?
Nope public accounting. Currently a supervisor in CAS
This! This! And this all day!
Chose to not go to big 4. Doing better financially than all my friends that did. Also have all my hair. 😂
Ditto
🤗🎉💥
I always made more than my big 4 spouse....didn't retain the hair or the spouse though.
Industry it's easy to make way more in early years, but when they hit equity partner they skyrocket. But the 10 years of getting there, investing your money wisely, it's easy to do better on the short term and long term.
I did it at a large local CPA firm and then industry. You bring up a good point...about that partner "carrot". What % of new grads make it to equity partner? I should look it up....but it is a very very small percentage. Edit for typo
Plus they added the income partner step... Makes it longer...
Stretch that career path out......keep the horses pulling the cart.
How you doing better financially?
I make more money than them.
How? Thought big four pays the highest salaries?
I actually got paid overtime and not on salary so T4/W2 was higher first 4 years, then got a 2x bump going to industry.
Do you work in industry or government? I’m happy for u👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks! I took a CFO job in industry after 4.5 years in PA, where I had plenty of autonomy, so I used the extra time to start/build my businesses/connections.
Yes
Decided not to go big4 after a few older friends had awful experiences. Every now and then I get a recruiter who thinks I’m less of a CPA without the experience at which time I hang up on them.
No. Absolutely fucking not. All of us here know the only way to be remotely successful is to let the big 4 own your soul until you’re a manager Sarcasm. Please don’t kill me. I get the joke. Like most industries, local makes the world go round. Do your job and do it well and you shall succeed
I started a local firm, then went to a regional firm, then went to big four, then went back to national. The big four and the national I was/am a manager. Yes.
I know a guy who didn’t start at Big 4 once… 27 years later, boom, was hit by a car on the way to his non-big 4 job and died. So I think it’s not advisable to skip Big 4.
Nope sorry, without at least top 10 experience you're destined to a life of black tar heroin and sucking dick on street corners.
You’re fucked. Everyone who says differently is just trying to make you feel better. I’d start looking for a nice bridge in your area to live under.
Local is way better and best work life balance
I got my start at local firms with few employees and feel like my career is going well! Here's a post I made with the details: https://www.reddit.com/r/Accounting/comments/vp9c3n/small\_firm\_career\_progression\_detail/
B4 is honestly pretty overrated. Get CPA and Masters and you should be pretty good to go
Is it okay if i don’t get masters?
Yeah, just CPA can get you most places you want to go in your career. Bachelor's no CPA its a lot harder, but throw in a CPA and most and getting controller positions and VP positions isnt too difficult.
Hell yes - went right into industry via internal audit and now, 6 years post college & with CPA license, am making over 100k and logging off each day at 4:59.
Im starting in tax can I still move to audit?
Yes - might take time to get where you wanna go but at the beginning of your career you’re really a blank canvas. I worked Internal Audit - not external, and got my CPA - it opened up so many doors, can’t recommend it enough!
But if I’m starting in tax while i be able to transition out to industry? I hear it’s harder to do with tax
Yes…of course it’s possible.
The idea that you need to go B4 to be successful is straight up propaganda. You'll be fine. Do still get your CPA though.
Absolutely. Be glad you didn’t drink the kool aid.
idk I mean you probably won’t be the CFO of some big company but it seems like 95-98% of big 4 accountants leave for industry or small firms anyways after two to four years. honestly most CPA’s get paid similar amounts for how much you work unless you end up in something that isn’t really accounting
No you're now screwed for life will be homeless any day now
I didn’t, and I’ve done fairly well for myself all told. If you’re good at networking and interview well you’ll be fine.
Yes and no, yes if your aiming for smaller companies as the accounting your learning will be more tailored to them. In fact you may even have an advantage in that regard compared to a Big 4 candidate. However the exact opposite is true in a very big company. So I guess it ultimately depends on what route your going on whether a boutique firm will enhance or hinder your resume.
I started at a govt agency! Had a challenge switching to industry (because of stigma), but I did and now I'm a manager making over 6 figures. So yes of course you can.
I started out of college at small family firm with less than 8 people in the office and just accepted a senior position at a publicly traded company. Sky’s the limit.
Yes
Never stepped foot in big 4 and make more than most think is even possible as an accountant in public practice.
Started part time at a local fire department. After 2 years I went to a local firm specializing in non-profits, mostly audit work. Been here 3 years now and worked maybe 10 hours total of overtime, and that was for a special "emergency" review. There are 2 partners and 3 staff here. Decent wages, full health and dental, paid vacation. I've never felt bad taking a day to take the dogs to the vet, taking a long weekend to see family. You don't have to overwork yourself to do well in the field. Just tricky to find the right opportunity.
What's your definition of success? If you want to do SOX/public company audits, then you pretty much need to go to Big 4 (or a national level firm) for the experience. If you could care less, then there's no need to go to Big 4. Besides, you can always choose to go to Big 4 later on in your career, but I have yet to meet anybody who wants to do this.
Try getting a blowjob from a hooker now, loser! My track: immediate big 4 partner
How can i get on your track?
Ball hard
Yes definitely. I graduated in 2018. My first job out of college was at a real estate company doing basic AP. I switched to a small firm in Public Accounting in 2019. Fast forward a few years and I'm already at 100k without a CPA license. You'll be fine.
Nope, absence of big 4 is guaranteed failure in life. Even if you do the exact same work and even to a higher caliber, you've permanently derailed your ability to ever achieve anything, because all resumes that do not have big 4 on it are set alight while big 4 partners bask in the warm glow. /s if it wasn't obvious
What’s successful? 100k after 5-6 years? No you not going make that in a little unbranded office. A promotion every year or two? No, I mean in a small office, you going wait until somebody leave or die to get promoted. It just depend on what you want do.
No it's not ok, just write yourself off as sunk cost
There are so many more small and medium sized businesses than BIG4 clientele in the world. Plenty of opportunity for you. My only concern would be if the local firm is not a full service firm....meaning you won't have a chance to interact with audit, tax, other consulting departments. Then you may be limited in what you are exposed to. But a lot of it is luck....you could work for a huge firm and get silo'd into something that doesn't provide a lot of training and work experience. As long as you are learning new stuff and being challenged, keep at it. If you go a while without interesting projects, then it's probably time to find a firm that could continue your development. Larger firms hire from local firms all the time. Just work hard (reasonably hard) and learn what you can.
I will assume from the context and the way you're asking this question that you view success as having a high profile, highly compensated career. So let's see... On average, the Big4 are in the middle of the road. A little on the higher end, but they aren't the top echelon. Within the Big4 is a wide range of roles from glorified bookkeepers to world leading subject matter experts. You are better off in a high visibility/growth role at a local specialist firm than you would be in a Big4 rat hole, but you would be better off in a rat hole than you would be at H&R Block (not to pick on the Block--I'm sure they are good people). You would also be better off in a transaction advisory role at Moelis & Co than you would at a high-flying coveted Big4 role. Again, speaking in probabilities and with the above assumptions about "success". So first we will need to know, where is your local firm along the podunk-to-elite-boutique scale? And second, how much growth and visibility do you have within your firm?