Page 3 | How busy is Big4 work load really?

Believing8nSanta · 2023-12-09T15:26:57+00:00

Since I have been little I always dreamt of working in a consultancy ... due to the fact my husband is in IT and I didn't have any luck with my plans. I moved to IT role 10 years ago. Now an opportunity has arisen in the big4 in again sort of IT role not consultancy but the company is one I always aspired to. . However, I'm scared. IT is pretty chill and everyone is sort of mediocre in their ambition so it's not difficult to be high performer and achieve good results. So my question is how busy and difficult it is to shine in one of these companies? Is it really full of over achievers and super ambitious people that work 24/7? Is there a way to balance work with your personal life at all? It's a senior role btw if this matters. Thanks!!!

Changingplace · 10/12/2023 20:30

I've done big 4 consultancy and I think it is a pyramid scheme. Joined as a senior manager and left within a year. Not because I couldn't hack it, just because the work and the set up seemed so pointless.

Same, feel like I’ve joined a cult, getting no job satisfaction whatsoever & everything just needs doing in exactly the same way, I don’t feel like l need to use my brain properly to think strategically or creatively - I just need to learn & repeat the script.

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/12/2023 20:31

overthinkersanonnymus · 10/12/2023 20:21

I'm a bumpkin.......what/who are the big 4?

PWC, KPMG, EY and Deloitte (global management consulting/accounting firms)

Oblomov23 · 10/12/2023 21:11

Admittedly I don't know much about the Consultancy side, but This thread is mostly anti Big 4, which I'm not comfortable with because ds1 is working for one right now, and is happy, and 2 of my friends work in tax and have worked for one of the big 4 for 20 years, so all this negative stuff doesn't sit well with me. I suspect Op will take the position, but Maybe you shouldn't because it doesn't sound quite suitable for your personality / what you want? But good luck either way.

Original poster

Believing8nSanta · 10/12/2023 21:29

Why do you think I will take the position?

:) also its 50:50 actually on here I have read much worse about the big4 trust me if this tread offends you ... never visit reddit 🤣🤣🤣

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LittleBearPad · 10/12/2023 21:44

Oblomov23 · 10/12/2023 21:11

Admittedly I don't know much about the Consultancy side, but This thread is mostly anti Big 4, which I'm not comfortable with because ds1 is working for one right now, and is happy, and 2 of my friends work in tax and have worked for one of the big 4 for 20 years, so all this negative stuff doesn't sit well with me. I suspect Op will take the position, but Maybe you shouldn't because it doesn't sound quite suitable for your personality / what you want? But good luck either way.

Why do you have to be comfortable with it? People have been honest, great your son is happy. Lots aren’t.

Changingplace · 10/12/2023 22:36

Oblomov23 · 10/12/2023 21:11

Admittedly I don't know much about the Consultancy side, but This thread is mostly anti Big 4, which I'm not comfortable with because ds1 is working for one right now, and is happy, and 2 of my friends work in tax and have worked for one of the big 4 for 20 years, so all this negative stuff doesn't sit well with me. I suspect Op will take the position, but Maybe you shouldn't because it doesn't sound quite suitable for your personality / what you want? But good luck either way.

People are entitled to their own opinions based on personal experience.

I’m genuinely pleased your DS is happy but I’m not asking for you to be ‘comfortable’ with my views, they’re simply factual.

BoogieBoogieWoogie · 10/12/2023 22:47

Deathbyfluffy · 10/12/2023 13:34

Re read your own OP - you specifically said ‘Is there a way to balance work with your personal life at all?’

And you wonder why people are commenting on the work / life balance?

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I did think the same 😏

Museum10664 · 10/12/2023 23:46

Believing8nSanta · 09/12/2023 22:40

And again there are so many mixed comments and experiences it's impossible to tell. :) I think the decision then must exclude the company name or fear of past culture/reputation and focus on other criteria. :)

Don't get me wrong I'm not scared of hard work and long hours. What I'm scared of is what was mentioned to do the work and be reviewed as under performer because expectations are impossible.

Now thinking even of my own company I guess if you choose 5 people from the same team you may get very different perspective and opinions so everything is always so subjective ...

Some people in my team work until 8 pm ... not because they have to ... because they want to. I have told them multiple times noone would promote them or make them rich because they are online at 8 pm but they simply don't believe me. 🤣

In my recent years I personally have seen so many sly people progress not because of hard work but because they know how to play the game and be seen. Other people work like mad and don't get anything because noone appreciates their work as they are too shy and not vocal enough.

So ya ... I'm stuck again not knowing what to expect. :) I'm tempted to just call the hiring manager and ask them honestly about their leadership style and expectations. 😅

seems a good personality to use for climbing the corporate ladder is a mix of vary's and tryion

Chickadee85 · 20/12/2023 15:52

I have worked for 2 of the Big 4 and it is either for you or it isn't. Hours and culture are not as they used to be thankfully due to all the DEI etc. so you can expect flexibility. It is, however, still a high performing culture and yes, the bottom 5-10% may get cut each year.

Ask yourself if you want to give it a try & if so, renegotiate the salary offer as no point in moving for the same. Especially as salary increases are not guaranteed each year regardless of how well you perform

Original poster

Believing8nSanta · 23/12/2023 07:01

Thank you all. I tried renegotiating the salary but they can't offer what I want so it worked out at the end as I have no regrets. I wouldn't have moved for the same money as the work and responsibility was going to be times more my current job.

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apples24 · 23/12/2023 07:16

Changedmymind99 · 09/12/2023 23:09

I second this.
The pretty presentations brigade.

All smoke and mirrors from an IT perspective. I can’t stand working alongside them.

This.

I used to work in Big 4, was fine, busy but I was younger then.

People were though not exceptionally bright like a previous poster claimed, making it sound like they're all ex Olympians lol.

Now I'm on the client side and find the Big 4 a joke. They staff complex jobs with cheap junior folks who are clueless and totally lack actual experience to the point they come across like thick charlatans.

Powepoints look shiny though.

My experience originally from IT audit, on client side worked with various IT, enterprise risk management and also IT audit Big 4 teams. Not impressed with any.

I don't understand why we fall for their pretty tender packs... Those decisions beyond my pay grade though.

buckingmad · 23/12/2023 07:24

apples24 · 23/12/2023 07:16

This.

I used to work in Big 4, was fine, busy but I was younger then.

People were though not exceptionally bright like a previous poster claimed, making it sound like they're all ex Olympians lol.

Now I'm on the client side and find the Big 4 a joke. They staff complex jobs with cheap junior folks who are clueless and totally lack actual experience to the point they come across like thick charlatans.

Powepoints look shiny though.

My experience originally from IT audit, on client side worked with various IT, enterprise risk management and also IT audit Big 4 teams. Not impressed with any.

I don't understand why we fall for their pretty tender packs... Those decisions beyond my pay grade though.

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dont know about other departments but all the formatting for our PowerPoints in big 4 were done by somebody in Malaysia!

I was working till midnight the week before my mat leave. Had a chat with a director before I went on mat leave to discuss coming back after mat leave as there were very few women in the team with young children, especially my age (mid 20’s). She thought she was doing a great job of selling it to me but actually she just convinced me to leave. Was telling me about her 3 year old needing her phone to reply to emails whilst she put her dollies to bed just like mummy. She thought it was cute. No thank you!

Saying that, I think at manager/senior manager level if you have a thick skin you can just plod along. Just expect to be bitched about and not ever get promoted. Someone marginally more senior than me had a massive go at me because I didn’t action an email sent at 8pm Friday evening until 9am Monday morning.

GreatGateauxsby · 23/12/2023 07:26

folkjournals · 09/12/2023 18:21

People don't work in the Big4 for work life balance, they do it either to make partner or for the "exit opportunities".

This.

I don't know anyone who did big4 who didn't feel like a cog in a machine.

If you are in a dead end job, take it.
Do it for 18m /2 years and get out.
Use it as a stepping stone

A woman at work I knew (who was frankly a beautiful charming moron) and was on about £50k got offered a job at Bain for £120k 😱
I know because she told everyone the salary... Nuts
She lasted 18m and left for somewhere easier but still fairly well paid.

Lairig · 23/12/2023 07:44

Unless I'm mistaken you don't mention how old your kids are? I still work for a major international finance company and for several years when the kids were young I'd be working all hours, evenings, nights, weekends. Many people are in roles like this. Don't just focus on the ambition, excitement or money. If you totally understand how hellish it is and still want in then go for it; but one day soon you'll be getting ready for the school run having been at work all night and the phone will ring for another mission critical break. Can you explain that to your kids and yourself? If so you are the right stuff. I'm not by the way, as I know there's a level of exhaustion that I can't survive.

MmePoppySeedDefage · 23/12/2023 08:22

Interesting that they wouldn't/couldn't offer more than you're on now.

EasternStandard · 23/12/2023 08:34

Interesting thread. This was nearly my first job way back when but I switched paths. I always wondered what I missed

ImCamembertTheBigCheese · 23/12/2023 14:48

BoogieBoogieWoogie · 10/12/2023 22:47

I did think the same 😏

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Me too

werty8765 · 23/12/2023 14:51

MmePoppySeedDefage · 23/12/2023 08:22

Interesting that they wouldn't/couldn't offer more than you're on now.

They're all making redundancies and freezing external recruitment

MCOut · 23/12/2023 14:57

It really depends on which service line, whether or not you're client facing, then which big4 you talking about. I’ve worked in two. One was absolutely awful and has a horrible culture. One was not too bad. For me, the workload varied, lots of late nights but also times with hardly any work at all.

Original poster

Believing8nSanta · 23/12/2023 21:43

They wouldn't offer more as they don't have more budget. They have no idea what they want as not one of them has 1 day experience of what I do and it was going to be a shit show. It's not a job I would agree to do unless I was very well paid for it.

Also it wasn't a stepping stone. It was a posh title but wasn't leading to any exciting career as the service line is super dull and not very prestigious.

I'm totally at peace with my decision and honestly don't think the company culture would have been a good fit for me.

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