Big 4 Life: My First Year Experience

[@Caitxo]

I really appreciate your insight- I’m a nontraditional student and am in my late 20s and landed a big 4 internship starting this January. I feel less alone now!

[@TheBraulio459]

What year are you, freshman, sophomore, junior, senior?

[@KajolPhadnis]

So agree - you don't realise how much you upskill your knowledge and actually learn by the end of it. Looking back, I didn't think I would ever become as great as some of my managers but really think you learn so much on the job. One day will get there!

[@redninja1133]

Public accounting take advantages of students straight out of college and burn them up. Yeah salary, sign me up! Work 60-70 hours for 3 months, no social life, 10-15lbs of weight gain, lack of sleep, and mental stress. But! You learn a lot!

[@djsalyers]

Valuable advice coming from someone who presumably doesn't have a CPA and doesn't work for a Big 4 firm.

[@katiamaslucan8580]

Lol I felt the same with my first senior omg it’s been 7 years I’m in this busy life!!

[@OmarBReal]

do you mind sharing your location and salary? If thats not too personal? Just curious what 7/8 years into a big 4 would get you as I'll be starting my career in a big 4 next month!

[@akilammalika]

To the first point you were making: How do you do things if you don't know what you are doing? Do you not compromise on quality then? I have a background in Internal Audit and I learned from day one that in order to deliver a value-adding audit, one must know the culture, processes, systems, and the industry pretty well. How do you do that when you work for different clients in different industries that require one to have expertise in those industries and specific systems and processes? Do you get assigned a mentor who dedicates a reasonable amount of their time and knowledge to you? Is your input considered and valued? Do you receive ongoing training to nurture and uplift your weak skills/ lack of sufficient experience? How are expectations communicated and what resource support do you receive to meet those expectations? How is your performance measured? Is it rigid by standardization? Thanks.

[@kt9185]

Hey! Looking for a little advice... About to start my bachelors in Accounting in a month at a Florida University (4 year public university, about 14k students at the moment). This will be my second bachelors at this school (first one was in Communication... not my smartest move lol) So anyways, to paint the whole picture: I luckily have a ton of business pre reqs done already, so this Bach will only take me two years. I’ll graduate at 29. Practice one year under a CPA.... take the exam, boom CPA by 31. My fear is by not going to a private or big university, my chances of getting into Big 4 and even a job under a highly successful CPA firm will be slim. Thoughts?

[@BeautyBlondeful]

that’s not at all the case! :) you can get a job at a highly successful CPA firm as long as you take the right steps. network, go to your university’s career fair events, etc. Get your name out there and you won’t have any problems finding the right job for you!

[@kt9185]

mackenziemorgann thank you 🥰🤞🏼

[@seanpgrimm]

Hey Kaitlyn! Your story sounds very similar to mine. My first degree was more or less the same as yours, and I was 28 when I graduated with my accounting degree. Even though you are not at a big university, I think it is still very realistic for you to be able to land a spot at a Big 4 or other big public accounting firm. I am a Floridian as well, so if you want to reach out to provide more details about your current situation and the university you are at, feel free to either message me or send me an email - [e-mail].

[@kt9185]

Sean Grimm thank you so much for answering! I sent ya an email :) !

[@accountant8678]

Hey I am 27 starting my bachelors now in July I will also graduate with my bachelors by 29. I live in Miami Florida but might be moving up a bit north I might be going into FAU or Webber university. I am hoping that I can do the CPA by 31. This will be very challenging but the salary and knowledge I hope will be of great use. I did a real estate course last semester and I hope that this will help me in real estate and my firm in the near future. Accounting is to me one of the best careers in the world it can lead to so many paths! Woohoo!

[@Thejacemiller]

Where's video for the transition between sales career to CPA career? - I'm in those same footprints right now. I would love to see a video about your experience with this!

[@bongiwemaqolo9194]

You make me feel like I can do anything right now.

[@stephandden]

Great video! Just shared a video on my first year as well. I work in Toronto but I think the experience is pretty consistent ✨

[@Seancarter2010]

You guys are so dope

[@murtazaakbarreborn]

Question - I just started at a big 4 company. As per their regulations, you need to tell them if you have a different job. Just like you, I release stuff on KZbin and other digital platforms. Was just wondering if doing something like having a KZbin channel/being an artist is something they need to go? Only asking as the streaming platforms would give us a 1099 based on the royalties earned. So, any help on this is appreciated?

[@anthonyrizakis9315]

Great Vid Sean, appreciate the advice!

[@karishmakeswani7068]

I heard there are no fixed no of hrs which are required to work and there is no balance between personal and professional life and because of this reason many people are quiting please let me know is it true and what your experience regarding auditors working in big 4 ?

[@seanpgrimm]

In busy season, it’s definitely hard to balance personal and professional life. However, outside of busy season, I think life is very manageable. I will say however, that some people end up working much longer busy seasons, or multiple busy seasons, which in turn results in them have less of a work-life balance than others. My experience has been that my life is all about work for 4-5 months out of the year, but the rest of the year is “normal”.

[@raindelta7079]

In Asia, you don't have a personal life. Work is 24/7 and yet you rarely get paid for overtime hours. I learned a lot in my 2 years of stay in ** but it was too much so I quit.

[@AishHumairaa]

Thank you for sharing. Keep posting !

[@mikeb4471]

I’m curious, what was the male to female ratio? Or if you have the numbers how many women and men work at big 4? Thanks!

[@kennethwong580]

from my experience it's pretty 50 50

[@RushuFriends]

Worked in Montreal, there are more women in the industry imo, except at partner level.

[@yuxinwang271]

I use it to explain my first year experience tomorrow in the welcome section 😂

[@jatinmakadiya4146]

What computer skills intern should develop before one join big 4 ???

[@FinanceUnboxed]

Agree with the above. Another skill which is useful if you're joining consulting or transactions is powerpoint skills.

[@pineyforkpress]

@@FinanceUnboxed Outlook is so important, Zoom, too.

[@quarantinekitchen6909]

How do you stay motives I been staff for 4 years and no promotion studying and getting burned out

[@shawnyoung4000]

In Asia big 4 We slept in company.....in tax season

[@moonlover6827]

That's so true :(

[@moonlover6827]

Which makes me hesitate to apply in big 4 or any other audfirm bec in our country even mid tier firms has lots of overtime

[@Icy_Consequence3478]

:O

[@MrDarudin]

@@moonlover6827 Try public sector. They usually pay less but are rather strict on working hours. It's what I did. Pays well and you get to keep your life.

[@raindelta7079]

Sleep in the office and don't get paid overtime

[@NDE-SDJ]

Subscribed because my name is Sean and I too am an accountant. Although I did not go Big 4.

[@danielleblanchett5383]

ok sean

[@frenchzaynster8360]

Thanks for the video! I was wondering, when you start in January, do people usually move to the second year just after the end of the first busy season?

[@teca986]

How difficult was it financing a second bachelor degree? Is it doable without loans while you're working? Were you pt or ft student?

[@seanpgrimm]

teca986 I was able to get federal loans through FAFSA because my first degree was financed through scholarships and my parents, so I hadn’t taken out any loans at all yet when I decided to go back to school. I think it’s definitely doable without loans if you are working, it will just take a little bit longer. The loans allowed me to be a full time student and get the whole process done in about 2 years.

[@Seancarter2010]

Accounting was my second degree as well did it in a year. I got a scholarship through my job. My previous degree made it possible for me to do it one year

[@zildjiantorres6280]

From SGV & Co. here. (EY Counterpart in Philippines)

[@JJ-ct4eu]

Is it normal that i got in to the BIG 4 with just 1 phone call lol

[@sabihahkauser3174]

A G How??? Please share how I need the help 😭

[@JJ-ct4eu]

@@sabihahkauser3174 Honestly, I have a masters degree in economics and the corona crisis helped me, because i did not need to come over at EY, a phone interview was enough. I nailed the interview tho so it's a mix of luck and skill I guess

[@webarecasing3567]

Sabihah Kauser I think the position this person is referring to is an intern. Internship recruitment process usually only takes a phone interview.

[@JJ-ct4eu]

@@webarecasing3567 You believe want you want to believe I guess

[@webarecasing3567]

J J Well then if it's a full time position, then congratulations. You must be very intelligent to get in just over a phone interview☺️. But I am just speaking over the normal recruitment process and my own experience. Usually it took minimum of 1 written test and 2 interviews (users, partner) to get in at big 4.

[@paulokano5032]

Way too general. More specific examples please.

[@Genarohuitron]

This is a really cool video! Please make more! Subscribed ✅

[@anatapindikafong2602]

dope lighting camera hahahh

[@gsotoaz]

Nice video, I liked it.

[@avalencia1093]

Very informative video! Thanks✨

[@Bonkazzzz]

What age did you grad at?

[@seanpgrimm]

I was 27, and I turned 28 less than a month after starting at my firm.

[@Bonkazzzz]

@@seanpgrimm Nice! I'm on track to graduate when im 27 as well. I dont know if you've covered it in any of your other videos, but how did it feel working in Big 4 at your age?

[@seanpgrimm]

@@Bonkazzzz Sorry for the delayed response - busy season + COVID-19 has put a wrench in my attention to this channel! I will say there have been certain challenges, but all in all, it hasn't been too bad. Will definitely make a video on this topic in the near future.

[@BigDonch]

Sean Grimm 27? Why so late.

[@seanpgrimm]

I went back to school for accounting, this is my second career.

[@Taxmanac]

😆 facts

[@quarantinekitchen6909]

Lmao 🤣 petter sugar bear 🐻

[@jenniferg2660]

Sounds like you weren't in Silicon Valley... :) Hope you enjoy tho

[@quarantinekitchen6909]

I get two ccoffes

[@moundcitymedia360]

You don’t know what you’re doing yet