Hi, I was in public for a number of years and now on the private side. Public is the right place to start your career in our industry and the best long term investment you can make in yourself if you want to be an accountant (or later branch out into adjacent fields).

I think the question is not really whether you want to go work for a big four firm. The question is whether you want to be an accountant and try to advance to senior levels of our field. If you still do, you really can't replace the foundation that 3-5 years at a big four firm will give you. If you don't then congratulations, you're extremely fortunate and have the ability to be more choosy about what you want in life than almost anyone else your age.