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Subject Topic: Non Big 4 Aspirations (Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post ReplyPost New Topic
  
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azurik12x
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Posted: 20 Jul 2011 at 17:23 | IP Logged  

I'm about to start my MAcc at a top 10 school and don't fully know if I will
go Big 4 yet or not. My dad worked at Price Waterhouse for 6 months and
absolutely hated it, and I've heard many different horror stories about the
long hours and various office politics. I interned at a mid-size firm (100
people) and really enjoyed it. The latest I worked in busy season was 7:30
and during the offseason no one works more than 40 hours a week. Also,
for my city, they actually paid more than the Big 4 so that they could
attract the talent. Another upside is that the people just seemed nicer and
cared about your goals and your future working your way up in the firm.
Sure the exit opportunities may not be as great as B4, but you don't really
need them as you can work your way up to Partner in the firm and make
at least 200,000 a year.

I'm just having the trouble seeing why it would be worth it to work your
rear end off at a Big 4 only to have no one respect you for it and end up
leaving after a couple of years. If you put the same amount of effort at a
mid-size firm, people will notice it and you will be able to work your way
up to partner much faster.

But then again, I guess it just depends on what you want. Broad
experience being able to audit many different things or a specialized
experience where you can go into industry and carry out the function that
you audited so in-depth.
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Rdetermined
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Posted: 21 Jul 2011 at 03:02 | IP Logged  

These are pretty interesting posts everyone has been making. 

Responding to Shades395 and db729 congrats on all your success you have had and everyone else for that matter as well! Well, I think everything you have said seems about right what others have told me in the past with regards to getting into the Big 4 and/or landing any of the other positions you have listed. I still believe however, that the people who do get into these positions are either A) come from good business schools (shades mentioned your college came from top 20 business program with a good career center network) I believe that if you include the factor of ambition, them being helpful advisors and a lot of recruitments happening on campus, your chances of landing a good job are fair. Also 2) Have a good GPA. I doubt they'd take people with less than a 3.2. Of course let me know if I am wrong. Here is a question I would like to ask both you as well in particular db729. On an earlier post you mentioned perseverance and if someone wants it he/she can get it no matter the challenge. But oright we know the job market is tough as it is, what happens to all these hungry people who don't have that great GPA's, who didn't come from good business schools and are on the most part beaten out by these talented individuals? What if he/she didn't get into the Big 4, the mid sized firms you mentioned, fidelity, bank of america, etc? It hasn't happened to me if you may ask because I haven't applied, but I am curious to know if you might know any answer or input on the issue. 

Which gets me to..azurik12x. This is more of a general finding I've found overall throughout the responses, but I seem to find that everyone has had pretty solid experiences. My personal experience and I can also relate to some people I know haven't been that bad, but it's not great either. That's where the questions and cursiosity comes in handy. Not everyone is going to be landing the good positions, but the question also is. Is it really the perseverance that db729 was talking about? Because of course if you have a good GPA 3.2+, come from a great school, and you have the network, you're bound to make it through, but what happens to the rest below? And then the question also boils down to what azurik12 was mentioning, but I add a feature relating to what if the person doesn't get into an MAcc from a top 10 school or what happens if the person just gets a certificate, pursues a CPA for the future at the risk however, of failing the exam?

Anyone who has insight on this can talk about it. Thanks for everyone's responses so far. They have been helpful



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cassinova73
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Posted: 21 Jul 2011 at 08:09 | IP Logged  

(I had to copy a comment i made in a different thread)
screw big4's I am officially anti big4.... just there entire energy irks me and i dont know why ppl break their necks for a big4 job at the staff auditor level.. for one they work you like a slave without overtime and your hard work isnt ever fully appreciated..ppl wake up and start smelling the #$%^ roses. forget what a big 4 will look like on your resume. thats just plain insecurity... if you are hard working you can always further your career with big companies after being in public for a non big4 firm.. and it is much easier to get into a big4 as a senior.
i applied for the recently posted pwc associate position in NYC, i havent checked the status and i dont care. i just got a job with another mid size firm(an ernst and young member firm) the salary is comparable to any big4 and overtime is paid...

i think it is abosultely pathetic that people drool over big4. smh lol

labor omnia vincit, thats the only thing that matters
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azurik12x
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Posted: 21 Jul 2011 at 08:10 | IP Logged  

I actually asked my MAcc advisor and she said that 54% of the MAcc
graduates go Big 4, while most of the rest go to mid-size or local CPA firms.
Very few MAcc students start off in private accounting because the program
is mainly advocated for students wishing to pursue the CPA certification.
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Rdetermined
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Posted: 21 Jul 2011 at 10:52 | IP Logged  

hey azurik, do you know if that percentage of
students that go either to the big 4 or any
other mid size firm just comes from your
university or is that nationwide good and not
that great macc programs? I've also heard
stories some people believe that an macc
isn't that big of a deal which surprises me
because i think it gives you a higher level of
education and a sense of security that if in
case you may not pass the cpa exam, at least
you got your macc. There's a lot of people
however that don't see the benefits in
getting an macc and start mentioning a
masters in tax which is more difficult. Let me
know what you think and also if you know the
amswer of my question regarding the kinds
of jobs you'd get with an macc degree if they
come from ur university alone or all of them
as a whole.

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