To feel my big 4 experience doesn’t count

[Bonbonete]

I have worked for a big 4 for the last 5 years and have resigned; job hunting for two months and fortunate to have got an offer and I that will continue to bring an income; however the job I got is part time, a very small company and similar to what I did before my big 4 experience so I am not too excited about it; it doesn’t feel like it is what I am looking for.

I was very bored in my previous job before big 4 ad it was s very small company and slow pace.

I was hoping I could use my big 4 experiences to step up in industry, but it seems it doesn’t count.

I know I need a reality check and count my lucky stars and be grateful to have got a job in the current market.

2 months isn’t long to be looking for a job, are you able to wait for something you feel is more suitable?

The big 4 have been marred in scandal in recent times. Perhaps not the draw they used to be.

Your experience also matters in industry. Newly qualifieds can command decent salaries in practise, but you need a some years of experience under your belt before people will put you in charge of anything out in industry.

Job hunting is a slow slow process at the moment. I've got friends who have taken 12-18 months to get a job, and that's if they can even get past the ATS in the first place, but also agree with a PP that I don't think the Big 4 are the flex they used to be.

The Big 4 what?

Zoos?

Theme Parks?

Supermarkets?

Pharma companies?

Banks?

Newspapers?

Why did you resign before finding a new position? As you’re now finding, it may put pressure on you to take a job that’s not really what you’re looking for!

I’m in exec search and we don’t put any weight into Big 4 candidates, too much process, too much political red tape and too slow. Unless you’re applying for other giant corporations - its not valuable in most markets - VC, PE, scale up.

What is your discipline?? You’re better off partnering with a few specialist agencies to do some of the work for you.

I was hoping I could use my big 4 experiences to step up in industry, but it seems it doesn’t count.

In my experience, if you would like to make the most of your Big 4 experience, the time to do it would be in the job you apply to immediately after leaving Big 4. If you work for a string of small companies immediately after in roles similar to the ones you had in Big 4, soon enough your Big 4 experience won't make any difference to your career prospects. Obviously, it will still be seen as positive but normally people, who leave them, seek a much bigger role immediately after. Not sure if it's relevant but one example would be to apply for a CFO or a Finance Director role (even if it's a small company) after being, let's say, a Senior Manager at one of the Big 4. If you did an accounting role at Big 4 and then apply for an accounting role in a smaller company, then it's not really seen as making the most of out the Big 4 experience. People usually tend to "suffer" through the hard slog of Big 4 and consultancy experience precisely for the prospects that they get afterwards and they usually don't tend to apply to smaller companies or similar roles after they leave.

what are the big 4?

Accountancy firms

The big 4 does count but having left your job without one to go to would work against you.

Edit: I moved from the big 4 into industry where I had limited experience of the industry.

Big 4 experience does count to some extent but resigning before you've got an offer will have knocked recruiters' confidence. I appreciate there may be a reason for your resignation but it will automatically put a huge question mark over your head. Companies are incredibly risk averse in recruitment because it is so expensive. Resigning without a job to go to is always going to raise eyebrows so you'll have been regarded as a risk.

Also, just because you have Big 4 on your CV, it doesn't make you any good, particularly if you're young. If you're still in a Big 4 company by the time you're 50 then you've proved yourself. If you've been there a few years when you're relatively fresh out of university, it doesn't mean a great deal. (Particularly if you've resigned without a job to go to).

Politics, burnout and 13 weeks notice

Have you been applying for more senior jobs if thats what you are looking for? How have you ended up with one that you seemingly arnt happy with?

Its not that your experience doesnt count, its more likely just not a differentiator from other candidates - 75% of my team (FS) are ex Big 4

And we're meant to know this? I thought it was something exciting when I read the title.

Couldn’t facet the unfair treatment any longer.

Big mistake resigning without a job to go to! You would’ve been much better off doing the minimum to keep your job while job hunting in the background. Especially in this very tough market!

lesson learned, do at least 6 months in the new job, then start looking again and don’t leave this job until you have a new one!

This.

It is a really slow market at the moment and taking a part time role in a small co will reduce your options, unless you want part time work.

Keep applying, but for roles in larger or medium size companies where your technical skills are an advantage - head office roles if you can get them.

There wasn’t a chance I could stayed any longer. I was very burnt out and it was impacting my mental health

Take the job and keep looking for another one, plenty of time for interviews if you're part time, and can get some rest in the meantime.

Ex Big 4 here. I’m looking a year post redundancy. Although to be fair I’ve been enjoying the career break and not looking that hard. In my role I think the experience is a plus (director level compliance) and I’ve finally got a bit of interest. Good luck.

I got sacked from a CFO job earlier this year. Try not to think of your career as needing to be linear. Main thing is to try and keep working. As you say you got away from horrible politics. That exists in all large organisations. You only live once. Good luck

It is generally well known that the ‘big four’ refers to Deloitte, EY, PwC and KPMG. I’m not an accountant or anything to do with accountancy, but I am aware of this.

In that case it doesn’t sound like the Big 4 is for you and maybe the smaller company will be more suitable?

I agree with you. I left after 2 years. I was totally destroyed by the treatment I had there.
I went on to run my own company for 10 years and then retrained as a teacher. Couldn't regret my choices less.

Op - in hindsight, you should have started putting feelers out for a new job before it became unbearable at your previous job.
And/or tried harder to stay on once you decided that you need to leave. Even with burnout there are always ways to take seek leave and/or move to different positions, etc.
Leaving without a new job lined up never looks good on a CV.
But it is what it is now.

Just like others said - I’d give the new job a go for 6 months and start looking around - while you are employed.