RepoToronto

Coming from a major office of one of the Big 4 after 3 years, I agree that it is a better initial choice out of a non-Ivy league school; if only to use accounting as a foundation and/or back up career. Working audit at the Big 4 DOES suck. I didn’t even work that many weekends and I still despised it; there’ s just no drive to push yourself. Just a motivation to finish the audit and get shit signed off.  But if you’re smart, the exit opportunities out of the Big 4 are so mind boogling you’d be an idiot not to start there vs. a typical entry level finacial analyst job. Your base salary isn’t that great but you should average 8% increase every year if you’re just pretty decent- aka just do your freaking work and don’t blow anything up. The entire game in accounting is to build your base salary- you’re paid a lot for your responsibility after you’ve been in the field for a few years (salary) but your bonuses (performance) will be pitiful until you’re a manager or above. Overall, accountants are WAY more realistic than people in finance. I’ve met so many people who love to say they’re in finance and an analyst like it actually means something. 80% of these people are full of shit and are in a position of limited growth. Accounting places you in a position of virtually UNlimited growth in terms of advancement in the field you’re assigned to in audit and (mostly) if you chose to branch off into something else. A little more than a year out of college I had an MSA (FYI- this degree means basically nothing if you did acct undergrad) and my CPA. My salary increased by just over 40% in 3 years FLAT and I made a move to a small consulting firm that is probably 70% what you would call “accounting” (which is a wildly broad term) and 30% biz processes, modeling, etc.
Cliff Notes: Public Acct does blow; but if you went to an Ivy league school you don’t have that problem. If you didn’t, get a dose of reality and suck it up. You are not special so prove you can do some good, professional work, get a certification and get on with your life. If your undergrad doesn’t scream “I’m awesome” and / or you’re not connected  up the wazz- start busting your chops. And seriously, there are worse things than waiting until you’re 26 or 27 to make six figures. Just don’t get caught on the public accounting carousel- tuck ‘n roll off of that merry-go-round after a few years.