What do you do for work?

[kozlodoev]

had a friend who worked in deloitte touche a few years back and this is exactly what she faced as a job. lots money but no life or time to spend it. she eventually quit, after piling up a nice pile of bucks.

It gets better, and experienced Big 4 professionals are valued and highly sought after in the industry (so it's an easy exit if you want out after you accrue some tenure). But the early grind is merciless.

It's certainly a grind at the beginning but you also have to think of it along the lines of "paying your dues". 

I jumped to a smaller firm back in Sept from an upper/mid size firm (Think second tier outside of Big 4).  Last winter really killed me and I was looking for better work/life balance at this point.   Wanted to stay in public but focus on smaller businesses and entrepreneur types.  Develop a specialty more with flow-throughs & individuals. 

I will say that I've noticed that working at my previous firm set a heckuva foundation that I didn't fully realize until I started working at my new firm.  Now I'm seeing it and more appreciative of it.  Still, I wouldn't go back to that environment in a million years.  It eats away at you, especially when you're jumping into your 30s.   It takes its toll.

Oh, I absolutely agree with all of this. I just think it's beneficial to go into this type of career with the right expectations.

[Rondo2287]

had a friend who worked in deloitte touche a few years back and this is exactly what she faced as a job. lots money but no life or time to spend it. she eventually quit, after piling up a nice pile of bucks.

It gets better, and experienced Big 4 professionals are valued and highly sought after in the industry (so it's an easy exit if you want out after you accrue some tenure). But the early grind is merciless.

It's certainly a grind at the beginning but you also have to think of it along the lines of "paying your dues". 

I jumped to a smaller firm back in Sept from an upper/mid size firm (Think second tier outside of Big 4).  Last winter really killed me and I was looking for better work/life balance at this point.   Wanted to stay in public but focus on smaller businesses and entrepreneur types.  Develop a specialty more with flow-throughs & individuals. 

I will say that I've noticed that working at my previous firm set a heckuva foundation that I didn't fully realize until I started working at my new firm.  Now I'm seeing it and more appreciative of it.  Still, I wouldn't go back to that environment in a million years.  It eats away at you, especially when you're jumping into your 30s.   It takes its toll.

I was in a unique situation in that I was a communications major undergrad, worked in industry for 4 years before getting my masters in accounting at night and moving to public.  Because of this i'm about 5 years older than my colleagues.  Currently 27 years old in my second year with the firm.  Tough because i'm hitting milestones at different times than others, ( got married and just bought a house this year)  I think its much easier to work the crazy hours right of college.  Will be interesting to see how it goes especially when children start to enter the picture

But with this being my view today, I think I can tough it out a little bit longer

[kozlodoev]

Ah, you're sitting on the OTHER side of the floor. That one's not too shabby either

[Quetzalcoatl]

I sort of fell into accounting at a research institute and I have to say it's awesome.  I never would work in a firm in a million years, I don't care how much it pays.  The people who run these research institutes are all accountants making $300-$500k and work 9-5.  The idea of working in a firm because it's what is expected of you is a sick joke to me.  Most of what I do now is finance anyways (you have x amount of grants and you have y amount of scientists being paid off them, so you can hire z more type stuff) which is way more fun than expense reporting or taxes.