Big 4 accounting sucks. discuss.

Big 4 and all service lines - especially audit and tax but the others too suck.

Why would you slow working 60+ hours a week for that shit cash with like a 1% chance of making partner.

Understand you do it for maybe 5 years then move on to anwell paid lower stress industry role. But if you’re manager (1+ years) and above you’re a loser.

Discuss.

13 Comments
 

Not my thing as it probably isn't yours. But there is no point wasting energy about something that isn't relevant to you, you're shitting on others to feel better.

 
Best Response

So, full disclosure, not in it and have never done it...but have many friends that have.

Short answer is, just like IB, exit opps.

Long answer: Stick around for a few yrs and you gain incredible business exposure across many industries. You manage people (because of their structure), you gain polish and you exit to industry (or MBA) . Many consider the experience (because of the nature of the clients and the early career responsibility) to be worth 2X the yrs of experience working elsewhere, so when these kids exit to industry after 3 yrs, they hire on as if they had 6+ yrs and tend to do pretty well. Others who actually like the type of work at B4 either start their own firms or work their way up the latter. The Partner gig is great once you're there (know a few). The guys that break out to start their own (or join an existing firm) do quite well too. Don't kill themselves and make 300-500k for a long time.

Just like IB, most get out. Just like IB, the foundation sets you up well for the future, including rising to the ranks of CFO (close friends have done this and they make millions)

No question IB makes more money out of the gate. Completely different vibe. All depends on what floats your boat.

 

This^

IB, Consulting and Big4 (Audit/CF/TAS) are the gigs with the best overall corporate training (largely through osmosis) and optionality you can get out of the gate. Maybe throw in Research (ER/CR) in there too.

The other finance gigs tend to be more niche or salesy.

Was obsessed with finance, now do product in tech
 

honestly, if you want to be a long term CFO, B4 might be THE place to start out

you'll never have to worry about a job (every public company in the world needs accounting help), and the experience is extremely valued - and as someone else said, the time you spend there is a multiplier more valuable than the time you spend in industry

i think it gets a bad rep bc of the lack of the ratio of pay to hours, but if you look at it as just creating exit opps its pretty solid

also, this forum is not representative of the normal college graduate- for many of us B4 might seem like a step down, etc, but iirc they have like a 4% acceptance rate with 500,000 applicants a year? so for the average person its a pretty coveted role

i couldn't stand audit class in college, so it def wasn't for me- but for those who could, it seems like a pretty damn solid career starter

 

Illum quaerat non aut corrupti omnis placeat ipsam. Laboriosam eum quis quis perspiciatis recusandae laudantium ea. Omnis placeat consequatur nulla nostrum ut temporibus. Doloribus voluptas amet placeat debitis quis. Molestiae eius repudiandae atque et eligendi.

Dolores omnis modi reprehenderit sed molestiae perferendis non. Esse et eum odio non nulla praesentium. Fugiat nemo explicabo illo eligendi.

Debitis nostrum reiciendis dolor tempora voluptatem non minus. Voluptas non optio cumque accusamus est eveniet. Corporis sapiente quasi natus reiciendis. Aut ab nemo ut. Inventore et dolores et accusantium alias quam.

Minima quam aliquid quae sit distinctio quidem rerum. Molestiae atque quisquam dignissimos dicta aliquam pariatur. Omnis eos et fugit. Excepturi inventore et laborum dolorem. Doloremque sunt vero aliquid qui et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (45) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”