Page 2 | Is this just too much?

Arraminta · 2024-11-22T16:27:21+00:00

Roughly how long a working day is typical for a placement student at one of the Big Four? Is working an 18 hour day for 5 days straight (close to a big sign off) just par for the course? I have no experience of the finance industry at all, so just don't know.

TizerorFizz · 22/11/2024 17:28

@LiveLaughGoblin The DD is on a placement year so those hours are brutal. She’s not a proper trainee. @Arraminta I do think that’s concerning. However I do understand it’s fairly normal in that line of work at that type of employer. Ditto law. The only obvious answer is to look at her placement contract (I’m assuming she’s mid degree) and see what it says about hours, if anything. Or go off ill.

LiveLaughGoblin · 22/11/2024 17:19

Arraminta · 22/11/2024 17:08

Thank you. It is a big deadline and they are 2 members of staff down. They keep moving the goalposts back and back and wider and wider. But I expect this is also very common? DD can expense everything luckily. I think right now her hourly rate is probably barely minimum wage, but ultimately it gives her the opportunity to be earning six figures before she's 30 (if she survives).

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And yes I now have a flexible 9-5 City job paying well into 6 figures. Rightly or wrongly, Big 4 experience is very highly regarded.

LiveLaughGoblin · 22/11/2024 17:16

I worked there for 6 years and yes these hours are unusual but not unheard of in the run up to a deadline - but in these situations I used to get my breakfast and dinner paid for and a taxi home, and they will often let you have a few more relaxed days once the deadline is past.

You do just have to get through it, especially as a
junior - and it’s not for everyone. On the plus side you get responsibility very early in Big 4 and no amount of work stress can phase me now!

I wouldn’t want to do it now but as a graduate without much cash I appreciated having meals paid for and if you had a good manager/team there was an ‘all in this together’ dynamic that made the hours much less bad than they would seem at face value.

Original poster

Arraminta · 22/11/2024 17:08

DownThePubWithStevieNicks · 22/11/2024 16:54

Not uncommon when there’s a big deadline. Are they paying for meals, taxis home and so on?

The salaries for these roles always look really attractive, but the hourly rate isn’t great! As a pp said, lots of people only plan to do it until 35-40 so work stupid hours to make a load of money then retrain as a baker or yoga teacher!

Thank you. It is a big deadline and they are 2 members of staff down. They keep moving the goalposts back and back and wider and wider. But I expect this is also very common? DD can expense everything luckily. I think right now her hourly rate is probably barely minimum wage, but ultimately it gives her the opportunity to be earning six figures before she's 30 (if she survives).

OP posts:

Original poster

Arraminta · 22/11/2024 17:04

Kafka999 · 22/11/2024 16:50

Well, it’s not typical though, is it? Only for 5 days because of the signing. But generally Big 4 is definitely not 9 to 5. Probably 60-70 hrs a week is more typical. My view is that Big 4 is bad value for money vs banking if you are into finance. Is this transaction services/advisory? Big 4 is good for more specialised stuff to be used as a platform. Audit and getting qualified also good.

Yes, I see what you mean, sorry. Up until last week she was probably averaging 10-12 hour days, so that has been the typical. They will fund her to charter and do an MBA but she ultimately wants to do forensic accounting. She has to do the drudgery first though.

I guess it's similar to being a junior doctor hours (without the same responsibilities, obviously) and you just have to get through it.

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DownThePubWithStevieNicks · 22/11/2024 16:54

Not uncommon when there’s a big deadline. Are they paying for meals, taxis home and so on?

The salaries for these roles always look really attractive, but the hourly rate isn’t great! As a pp said, lots of people only plan to do it until 35-40 so work stupid hours to make a load of money then retrain as a baker or yoga teacher!

Kafka999 · 22/11/2024 16:50

Well, it’s not typical though, is it? Only for 5 days because of the signing. But generally Big 4 is definitely not 9 to 5. Probably 60-70 hrs a week is more typical. My view is that Big 4 is bad value for money vs banking if you are into finance. Is this transaction services/advisory? Big 4 is good for more specialised stuff to be used as a platform. Audit and getting qualified also good.

Original poster

Arraminta · 22/11/2024 16:43

I knew they worked them hard but didn't expect it to be quite this hard. DD is on her knees right now. She's due to return after graduating but it's back breaking work!

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Rocknrollstar · 22/11/2024 16:34

Yes it is but the media are always running articles about how hard people in finance have to work. I think the idea is to do it for as long as you can and then leave with a lot of money behind you.

Original poster

Arraminta · 22/11/2024 16:31

Yes it is.

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DownThePubWithStevieNicks · 22/11/2024 16:30

Is the placement paid?