Last 15 months of my life was nothing less than a nightmare. There was not even a single day where I didn't cry and had a sound sleep. My seniors and managers from original team left no stone unturned to make me feel like I am not worthy enough of being in a big4(I was the youngest in the entire team yet they treated me like I was supposed to know everything from before)even after having received good reviews from other teams. I decided that life is too short to live like this and being surrounded by such toxicity. So I quit this year's August and I feel soooo relaxed and out of pain( emotionally).

I'm an assistant manager, i've survived 4 years but i'm at breaking point. 100% it is toxic, very toxic. Also agree with exceeding expectations at a normal company is the same as meeting expectations at a big 4, a poor performance at big 4 is meeting expectations at a normal company. They love to gas light, it's all they can do to convince you your tiny salary is worth the long hours. Counting down my last days there. I respect you for sharing your story.

Things I experienced during my 6 month stint at a B4 company: - No one left office at 5pm, it seemed as though 6:30pm was the earliest acceptable time to leave - People taking pride in working 70+ hour weeks and not resting during weekends - Shitty clients who would always be late to send the required files to carry out the audit without adjusting the deadline - Managers who were obsessed with returning to the office but always preferred WFH - Not a single praise for high performance, comments range from “could be better“ to just “ok” - You’re expected to know the industry inside out even if you’re just an associate with no prior experience. Not a single shred of training or guidance, “you’ll figure it out” - You never get paid a 100% of your OTs - Feeling that you’re selling BS that doesn’t really add value to anyone besides your boss’s pocket The list could go on but these were the things that bothered me the most. I left after a short while and I never looked back ever since.

Wow - I’m a lot older than you (just turned 40), but my experience leaving big4 was EXACTLY like yours. Partners and other basically trying to make you feel bad for leaving - I left after my 2nd busy season as a senior (4th busy season total) in 2012, and it sounds like nothing has changed. Get the experience, then get out. Don’t drink the kool-aid. They all act like it you don’t stay until atleast Manager, then it’s a big mistake. They are all just brainwashed themselves, it’s all they know. I’d say Big4 is def worth doing, but just for a few years as a resume builder - get your CPA, and then the grass really is greener. I started from nothing (negative net worth) and now I’m making $200k+ salary for working maybe 25 actual hours, have 8 rental properties, and more free time and a way better mental state. Good luck to you in the future.

Yes toxic. It’s toxic not because of work but because of bad senior managers managers seniors and colleagues and mainly due to racism and bullying

The most important aspect (which is sometimes out of your control) are the team that you work with

Not in accounting but im in the Big 4 financial advisory as an assistant manager. Seriously, i woke up with anxiety and sometimes have dreams of missing deadlines etc. I feel guilty for taking even a sunday off. I ended up working the 2nd half of sunday just so that i won't feel anxious to start my monday. 80-hour work week feels very normal. My mental health has gone down the drain. Looking for exit opportunities now. Wish me luck.

I am an analyst at one of the big4 (consulting) . I am a fresh under graduate. People here expect me to perform perfectly even if i don’t understand or if im facing problem, there’s constant negativity and toxicity

Thank you for sharing your stories. Even though we all know that we are not alone, it’s always nice to hear from someone who had that experience and share it out. Also thank you for the last part. I have been here for 4 months and I cried everyday and I want to quit everyday because I feel there is no hope and meaning for life. The last part brings the hope for me. Once again, thanks for this video!

They get under your skin and stress you out - that’s by design. To make you work-work. Solution - keep your head down, don’t stand out. Do bare minimum and worry not. Plenty of jobs out there. Just collect your pay check and look for jobs over lunch time ;)

I had an experience (first project when joining the firm and no previous consulting experience) on the consulting side of a Big Four where I had received positive feedback up until the senior manager, who was also new, (project consisted of only a consultant (me) and two staff analysts and one Senior Manager) went non existent the last two weeks I was on the project. He was the subject matter expert and we were left trying to pick up the pieces while he was busy managing another project. He received some negative feedback cause of it and then he became the biggest micromanager lol dude had us staying up past midnight to finish work, even having to log on the weekends. I pushed back on the last week (only time I did so) cause I had plans to be out of town with my girl friend. He called me on teams and said there was no need for me to be on the project anymore. He was super rude and was the only manager I had ever had a negative experience with. Our quarterly feedback evaluations came up around the same time I was kicked off the project and all the positive feedback I had received up until that point was out the window as he wrote a glaring negative evaluation. He essentially threw me under the bus and put all of the negativity that was happening on the project on me. In hindsight, I should have went to HR. I went onto work on different projects after that and received positive feedback, making an effort to "course correct" as that negative evaluation impacted my bonus and potential for raise (I did not realize that the feedback evaluations were essential in evaluating performance until that happened, no one really communicates that to you). Then once I hit my one year with the firm I was pulled into a meeting with HR and told I was let go by one of the partners who became really close to that senior manager that I had the negative experience with. The partner never cared to hear my side of the story, only going off of what the senior manager stated in my evaluation almost a year ago from that point. I learned a lot working at that firm but the stress, politics, and always having to "exceed expectations" is something that Im glad I don't have to deal with anymore.

The Big4 I worked for had a way of promoting those people who are toxic and are bullies. Very toxic environment

Thanks for sharing your story. This just confirms some of the info that was covered on the big con book. But yeah, the pro is also covered. It’s pretty obvious there are more cons here, and thus better to find other alternatives

Im glad I left public accounting, was working 60-80 hours for about half the year for 72k (with 2 years experience), when I left they were like will make you senior soon and the pay is great, I got a job making 100k working max 45 hours in a week mostly regular 40 hours, and some friends that made senior soon after I left only got 77-80k. also in my time one of the worst things was getting emails at 1-4am from my manager on why I wasnt working -_-

I had same story; I spend 1 year at audit and (lucky) move to TAS (m&a) team for 2 more year. Work hours still insane working from 9.am to 5 a.m next day is not a joke, the firms and manager treat you like machine. Also, you don't talk about politics, manager and senior try to bully you and make you feel bad about yourself, doubt your skills to move-on for another job. I decided to leave this year even i was promoted to senior level.

Currently in 2nd year at a big4 and literally everything you said was so god damn accurate. Can't wait to quit! :D

I used to work for the fifth largest firm, and the culture was very toxic. I've now since moved to being an accountant for federal government and it pays better with really great work life balance. I've heard you mention private as an alternative a lot but you should also consider government if you can, life is to short to work for toxic accounting firms

Great video and very true, i work on two clients throughout the year (6 months each from June and from December - planning to year end). it is absolutely fkn horrible that the pay is absurdly low and expecting us to work north of 70 hours. i cant wait to resign..

I'm kind of shocked that a union hasn't formed. I've heard not one good thing about a big 4 other than to get the year experience and get then get out of there

I work at a big4 in the Netherlans and what I've noticed is that certain managers show their true colours around busy season. Since we are a small community the people in general are very nice to each other.

I am 3 months in tomorrow and I’m feeling a type of way. Like the hours are long. Worked Sunday and traveled 42 miles. Working on a team in which I get no help from the senior. Its wild. Planning on exiting to government

hey man, nice video. wish you all the best!!

I started working for a big 4 in audit, I got tricked by OCR into thinking that B4 was a great learning opportunity with decent pay and fast career progression. After the 1st month, I knew it wasn't it so I gave my 2 weeks after 3 months and found a job more finance related with a 50% pay increase. My advice is - if you believe B4 (and especially audit) is for you, try to score an internship before going FT so you don't waste your time.

I’m not in Big4. Spent 3 years at GT. Now I work for a smaller firm but as a senior auditor. First year with them was fine. Now I’m doing a second year with them and they are implementing these new changes that are really giving me ‘Big 4’ vibes. Had an anxiety attack this week, felt like someone punched me in my chest and could not breathe. Running on no hours of sleep. Need to work weekends. I’ve worked in industry before. Beginning to wonder why I came back to public accounting thinking a smaller firm would be any different. I think I’m done with audit. They want me to be above average but I’m already over extended. I love training new staff but it bogs me down to the point my reviews are trash. Or “needs improvement” or “average”. I can’t. I already spent so much money on therapy before. Not worth it.

thanks for sharing your story 🖤

This video was therapeutic for some of us

Very accurate analysis! I am working (rather wageslaving) in one of the big4 firms. Just hope to make my 2-3 years and find something better. Best of luck to you all guys!

Insightful video! What is your opinion of mid size/national firms(BDO, GT,RSM,etc)?

Is CPA valued more by the big 4 than other qualification for instance CMA or ACCA or CIMA?

Just the names themselves give me goose bumps...

Audit has been like a marriage with a bipolar person, You know they are horrible people at times but you keep making excuses for them until you finally realize that cons outweigh the benefits. And that if you stay you'll die inside slowly but surely but it will be your own doing. I think I've had enough 🤣

Hello alias , I’m a accounting student I have three internships this year I’m currently on my second one. I’ve experience regional , small , and my third is going to be in the top 10 firms in the world. Im wondering is this the way it is within the top 10 - 20 firms or is this just the prestige’s big 4 with 80-100 hrs a week? Hope you can answer my question it mean the most since I’m like not sure what to do yet.

I think you explained every other Job here, except that what I learnt from your video is that if you aren't resilient and confident of what you want you will definitely suffer at the Big 4. Thanks for sharing your experience, this was indeed a motivation towards up-skilling myself. I myself have no problem with long hours, complex work, in fact that's what I aspire to, challenges and I don't wanna be spoon-fed by my employer. The resources they provide you with is extreme, and you will be well equipped for the Job. I have no complaints so far, and I don't see that happening. ❤

Hey Alias, could you tell me what color to avoid based on your experience?

Worked in big 4 audit and whilst it was probably a good learning experience + the ACA was useful, the culture was very toxic and the pay was shit. Have exited into bulge bracket investment banking and even though the hours are long, at least the pay is fairly good

Stress seems to be a common theme in people leaving the Big 4, from what I have been watching on KZfaq lately.

Well, the big 4 and other emplyers do this because there are people that accept this treatment

nice to know that since i left big4 audit years ago, the big4 toxicity in non-existant coaching and client defects have not changed at all.

Big four has alot of downsides, but imo working in local audit firms is far far worse. The clients are far worse, the pay is far worse, and the experience is limited to collecting invoices and throwing them in the audit file, in addition to finding ways to let misstatements slide to not upset the client with a qualification. They also only conduct substantive tests, as the small client's internal control systems are 99% non-existent. This is in the middle east, I don't know how it is in North America and Europe.

Please post more videos!!

Which of the big 4 did u work with?

What's funny is the Big 4 have higher audit failure rates than regional or local firms. PwC has a 50% audit failure rate. Insane that companies still work with them.

I will start in BIG 4 in 2 months in Audit (Germany). I'm hyped about it because it don't seem toxic. Lets see.

Been at EY for 8 months and it's scary how accurate all of your statements were. Hoping to be out of here soon...

Where did you ultimately pivot to?

Worked at EY and KPMG and everything is accurate.

I have one tip that always helps to survive toxic companies and not have any of the negative things like 1. Gaslighting; 2. Serving as an emotional punching bag for higher management; 3. Toxic social dynamics that are bred by extreme hierarchy; 4. Anxiety; 5. Low self worth; 6. Bullying. Every day you keep on working you betray your own dignity, self worth and fall further in despair in the pits of the burning hell itself. Keep your values The solution is, you would not have thought of it but it is actually Genius!! Five letters: LEAVE.

I never went to college made 400k last year and live on the beach in Thailand

Garbage. I left to a quant trader job. 4x salary Ns amazing life

God almighty, this sounds like hell. I hope not to start with a big 4 then.

My interview is today lol 😂

Man it sounds like Audit just sucks...

Moral of the story is don't work for a big 4, is not worth it

Sounds like you are/were at Deloitte.

It’s not just Big 4. It’s public accounting.

Whay country?

Smaller firms r significantly better

"working with the b4 will make you want to dip in the tub with a toaster...totally worth it for the experience"

Short answer: YESSSS

so basically they audit ur audits lol the level of inception. still i want to bend over and take it just for the chance of a good career

I worked with deloitte for past 11 years and its been an awesome work environment. The company have taken care of me very well. Sometimes i feel like iam earning salary for free. I have joined as a consultant and resigned as a senior manager.. this is how people write in linkedin... But in reality... I have survived deloitte for past 11 years.. With the below awesome factors in consulting. 1. Racial discrimination 2. Casting couch 3. Caste based politics 4. Regional and religion politics 5. Favouritism based promotions 6. Gender discriminations 7. Firm initiative comedies 8. Caste based hikes and R&Rs After facing all these fun i have sustained for 11 years to prove my opponents iam stronger than them. My negatives are 1. South Indian 2. Non brahmin 3. Highly tolerant 4. Got only 1 promotion in 11 years. Still they dont have balls to fire me because of my hard work and dedication which fetched them some m dollars. After i had put my papers they are the one who tried to stop me from leaving... but still i moved on.. and this is deloitte and this is my story...

The amount of videos with titles like this…. They are toxic haha

His speech is very unclear

I only can say about my experience with one of them is pretty bad.. dont know about the others.. and will never try other big4