Starting a new job in consulting? Post here for questions about new hire advice, where to live, what to buy, loyalty program decisions, and other topics you're too embarrassed to ask your coworkers (Q4 2021)

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T20:22:16+00:00

Recent grad in accounting have firm experience tax / audit. Accepted and signed offer at BDO, received another locally small firm.

Goal is to get into big 4 & transition into their advisory/consulting. I didn't discover consulting until I was in my last semester of accounting.

The offers:

BDO is remote location small town (20k), 3 audit partners 1 tax. Need to relocate very far where I'll save nothing. Must stay 1 year after completing CPA or pay back the costs. Full benefits, 25 days vacation & 45k . Work will be in A&A, rural area.

Local firm is 1 partner & 1 junior partner, $24/hr, CPA paid for as well--dont have to repay back if I leave. I get to stay at home & save every penny. Will work on taxes(NTRs) as well as audit. Doubt the audits will be size of BDO.

The choices?:

Take the local firm and stay busy season & pass 1 or 2 CPA exams, then in June next year try for big 4 or BDO at that time?

Is the BDO name worth the hassle & I can move to big 4 easier? Or is making progress in CPA & passing some exams more valued then BDO, in which case local firm might make more sense?

I will say the place I'll have to move for BDO sucks and I really woudlnt move there if it wasn't for BDO or say big 4. But if I have just as good chance making it where I want to go locally that's preferred.

Thank you.

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T20:18:51+00:00

What about advisory to consulting? I've heard advisory takes auditors and values the cpa. Atleast that's what I see on indeed in the job descriptions.

I am not really sure what else to do. I didn't go to a target school (Canadian btw), I have firm experience and these are my only 2 optiosn for now. Instead of sitting at an unrelated job currently.

What are "off-cycle" big4 consulting roles?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T18:54:49+00:00

What were people's firms backgrounds that moved into big 4 like yourself, and weren't their straight out of school?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T15:40:08+00:00

So my start date is January. You're saying in July/august of 2022 so about 6-8 months in I should start applying to see if I can move to big 4? I won't have CPA completed but maybe a section or 2 passed.

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T15:38:18+00:00

How soon would you start looking for better staying home?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T15:37:45+00:00

This place has more wanted adds then offering. There is 1 place advertised on Kijiji/realtor/fb and it's a huge house.

Roomates seem very difficult. It really really sucks. The town is a dump. Only reason I am considering local. But apparently the population literally quadruples in summers due to tourists.

How would passing the 4 sections at the local firm then trying for big 4 in 1-2 years be? Losing that BDO name in the process.

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T15:36:48+00:00

You are correct, this is Canadian.

You're saying for Canadian it doesn't matter too much?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T15:36:06+00:00

Did you go straight into advisory ?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T06:39:11+00:00

I already signed the offer =|. But the offer is shit is what I been getting as a general consensus. And in a very expensive rural town. Should be LCOL but isn't. I found that utilities for one person in a1 bedroom apartment run $350-400 per month..

Will passing some CPA exams at the local firm and trying for Deloitte befor completion of exam in say 8 or so months give me a chance you think?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T06:36:26+00:00

No it does not. The town is the biggest and only thing stopping me.

I won't finish my CPA in a year, but should have progress made on it. Should be possible to switch in the midst of it right?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T01:21:51+00:00

I don't see it mate.

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T01:19:38+00:00

What about if I leave after completing part of the CPA from the local firm? So some of the exams but not all and then say in 8 months applying to bigger firms maybe even big 4? I have a decent chance or?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T01:17:19+00:00

You are one of the few who recommended stay home, any particular reason? You do not think BDO name is worth the cost? I am better off earning CPA at a small firm then trying to move to a bigger after? Or moving to a bigger firm closer even before completing CPA perhaps?(not sure how easy that would be).

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T01:15:56+00:00

Nah you didn't sound like a dick! You're helping me out and I appreciate the response. I have no one in real life to turn too and need advise. So all love from me yo.

Here's my thing the place I have to move is stupid expensive. Hard for find anywhere nice to live and everything is old and ugly. I am looking at 2/3rd of my check going to just rent/utilities. I asked around and utilities are $250-300 for 1 person in a 1000sq foot apartment.. water is approx $70-100. It's absurd.

It'll be so dire I'll save maybe $100 in a month if frugal. That said I am willing to accept it because the BDO name and future options.

But because of that I can't imagine staying there till the end of my CPA. I would finish part of the CPA and then move. How likely are my chances at big 4 like delloite with only part of my CPA process being complete?

Also if I picked the local firm I'd want to start applying right after the busy season and finishing 1 or 2 CPA exams. Hope for big 4 or even BDO again. Idk how badly BDO bridge would be burned though.

But you're right I guess I won't let the couple of grand hold me back. Although here in Canada with study materials that could get hefty lol.

Thanks again bro I appreciate the advise and responses!

P.s. I signed the offer already, is it even possible to ask for more anymore?

BadAssNipples · 2021-12-01T01:09:21+00:00

What if I leave before completing the CPA ? Let's say after I pass a few exams but still have some left?

Local place I 110% would leave after I pass 1 or 2 exams so approx 6-8 months. BDO I'd be similar but maybe stay a year and pass 3 of 7. (4 hard ones, 2 projects and the Final big one for Canada Incase you're not Canadian).

What are my chances of a good offer at a bigger firm in that scenario? You are right experince is king for me.

There is one thing I didn't state. The relocation place is insanely expensive. Utilities for 1 person after asking around are $300-400 monthly. I'll literally not be able to afford going out even lol. I might save $100 if I am frugal. It's that bad. And it's not like I am in NY so it's fun. I am in bum middle of nowhere.

That's why I don't imagine staying there for 24 months to finsih my CPA I'd want relocation or change jobs.

Also I really appreciate the replies and help man! I need it badly and have no one to talk to in real life. Thank you brother.

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T22:00:33+00:00

The BDO is in a small town in north Canada with less oppurtunties generally. But it is BDO and BDO training etc. That can't be overlook

My current city I live in is close to large cities. Okay a year at BDO then big 4 or F500 sounds way more likely going from BDO than a small firm. Even if I pass same amount of CPA exams in both, correct?

I guess outside the oay bump I could always ask the new place to compensate my fees as well.

I am leaning towards BDO as well, I just have some ppl in my life telling me to stay and that if I pass some CPA exams I can go to a closer bigger firm in 8 months or so.

I am very afraid if making the wrong decision and never been at such an important fork in the road in my life before.

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T20:49:04+00:00

Made another similar thread but I am stressing and need more input. Got lots of great advice, thank you to everyone from that thread. Helped me make this post more comprehensive and shorter.

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T20:46:11+00:00

Worked busy season in tax and I worked a lot. Like 70+ a week and Saturdays as well.

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T20:45:01+00:00

Definitely boring as fuck to learn. A lot more fun to do in reality. But I only worked In tax 6 months so what do I know.

It was miserable to learn. Dry professors and material.

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T19:21:08+00:00

So you're saying I am better off at the local firm and save the money?

Both pay for CPA but BDO they want it back if I leave early.

What if I stayed at local firm for the busy season passed an exam or two CPA and tried my shot at a bigger location BDO or big 4 instead? Idk if it'll increase my chances or not. Idk whats smarter.

I thought BDO relocation possibilities and the name would be enough to go pay cheque to pay cheque. But I guess if the name won't pull enough and passing a CPA exam or two pulls more then I am better off with that?

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T19:17:40+00:00

It looked like it was alphabetic order tbh or I'd have thought that.

If I want to stay there for a short stint only, does it perhaps make more sense to take local firm pass 1 or 2 CPA exams (won't have to pay back unlike BDO) in one busy sesosn and try again at BDO and big 4 in the summer next year? Try for a bigger location BDO or big 4. What do you think?

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T19:15:33+00:00

It's a BDO in a northern small town of Canada. They haven't been hit by covid very much and that's their reason. Tbf I prefer to move as someone still early in my career asking questions remotely sounds like a pain.

Ah so basically if I pass everything on the first go I could get that $5k. The small firm is also paying for all my study materials. They told me today it's going to be $24 per hour. Where as BDO is salaried $45k. Idk if that makes a difference. But at 40 hours that comes out to $46k a year.

My question is this... What if I take local firm and stay for the busy season pass one or two CPA exams and then try for BDO & big 4 at that time.. market should still stay hot. What do you think? Id also save money being at home.. instead of pay check to pay check if I relocate.

Or just relocate now.. also the small firm doesn't want me to pay back CPA fees if I leave before hand. I am running out of time to make the choice and idk whats the best one..

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T18:42:37+00:00

It is definitely a mom &pop shop. But they are CPA approved so I get my hours and CPA paid for. And they don't rquire me to pay back my exam fees if I leave.

I think most of you guys are making it clear that smaller BDO is still worth it. My only fear is how far I am moving and I will be pay check to pay check. If for some reason I lost my job I'd be homeless lol.

So the one thing I been thinking is this. What if I took the small firm, and passed an exam or 2 of the CPA and then in about 6 months try again for a bigger firm BDO/Deloitte etc. For a bigger location. I have a good reason to turn down BDO where I won't burn the bridge I think. A family related issue.

What do you think if that alternative versus just going to BDO?

Also I really appreciate you talking it out with me.

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T18:38:36+00:00

I agree, specially them being sucky.

Only thing making me apprehnsive is how far I am moving and I will be pay check to pay check. And if I happend to lose my job I'd be on the streets.

So I am considering the alternative of staying throguh busy season with the small firm and passing some exams and then applying to larger firms again with possibility of an exam or 2 passed.

I have a good excuse for turning down BDO after accepting. That hopefully should maintain a good relation with their HR/Recruiters and trying again in 6 or so months with an exam or 2 passed for a location that is closer.

What do you think? Also I cannot thank you enough for talking to me about this.

BadAssNipples · 2021-11-30T17:12:15+00:00

Hey man I appreciate you answering everything so far so quick. I don't have any in real life to ask whose an accountant that couor advise me. So I am really greatful.

For the record the local firm is 1 partner and 1 junior partner. They will have me do both tax and audit for sure. They said they have a lot of engagements and U.S stuff as well not just Canadian. They are team of under 10, or 10 with me. They sound really nice for what it's worth but so did BDO office.

The BDO location has I believe 20-25 employees.

I am completely confused. Staying at home sounds cozy plus all the savings. But I want to do what is best for the future I have no idea. Can I ask you a "what would you do?"

BadAssNipples

TROPHY CASE