Big

The Big 4 “Senior Associate Bond”

On a Thursday afternoon in my internship training, our instructor, a Senior Associate, spent some time talking about the relationship that develops between senior associates and first and second year associates. More or less, he said the following:

“Throughout your first couple years with the firm, you will have the opportunity to work with many Seniors. You will learn more from these people than anyone else in the firm. At some point, you will find that one Senior who you click with 100% and a mentor relationship will develop.”

I remembered these words throughout my internship and by the end of the summer I asked myself: “have I found that Senior who I click with 100%.” I had to honestly say that the answer was ‘No.’ While I enjoyed working with many of the Seniors, I could tell that other interns had hit it off better with the Seniors than I had. Somewhat discouraged, though ultimately thrilled at having had a great summer, returned to my final year of college with a full-time offer in hand.

Fast forward one year and I’m working full time. My second engagement was a large fortune 500 company. Our office had a team of about 15-20 staff who I worked the engagement full-time, year-round. There were 4 seniors on the job each responsible for 2-3 associates.

My Senior was one of the smartest people I had ever worked with. More importantly, I realized that he made everyone around him smarter as well (a common trait in Big 4 employees). The discussions we had, regardless of the complexity of the issue, were always focused and intense. He took the time to explain to me not only what I had to do, but why I was doing it and how it contributed to the big picture of the audit.

He taught me how to ask the right questions of the client and gave me confidence to hold my ground with our contacts at the client, some of whom had been with the company longer than I’d been alive. Working with him, I finally felt like I had finally bridged the gap from college student to accounting professional. I worked hard to impress him and always, always made sure to ask if I could help him with his work when my work was done. Finally, I had found my Senior-mentor.

He and I worked together off and on that first year and then we both rolled off to other clients. He was a mentor to me during my time with the Big 4 and we’ve stayed in contact now that we have both left the firm. We talked many times about how well we worked together. He told me that when he was a first year he had a Senior who worked the same way and they had a similar bond. Likewise, I worked with the associates under me in the same manner, passing the torch on to the next class. This is one of the most important parts of working for the Big 4. There is so much collective knowledge that is passed through the ranks year to year. This is one of the reasons Big 4 alumni are valued so high in the marketplace. and why some companies will only hire those with Big 4 experience.

Writing this post makes me nostalgic for my days with the Big 4. The comradery, learning and excitement of those years with the Big 4 has never been matched in the roles I’ve had since I left. To all of you hoping to land a job with the Big 4, I truly wish you the best of luck.

As always, thanks for reading.

 

About the Author

ig 4 Guru is a career coach, author, CPA, Big 4 alumni and creator of the website Big4Guru.com. Big4Guru.com provides career consulting services to accounting students, graduates and professionals.

Big4Guru.com has helped hundreds of accountants land their dream job with one of the Big 4 public accounting firms.

The Notorious BIG – Big Poppa (1995)

Krups 203 Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder with Stainless-Steel Blades …

Presto 114316 04820 PopLite Hot Air Corn Popper $29.99 Plug in Prestos PopLite and the party begins. In less than 2.5 minutes you will have up to 18 cups which is equal to two large bowlfuls of fluffy popcorn with virtually no unpopped kernels. And because the machine uses hot air instead of oil the resulting snack is healthier and lower in calories. Thats not to say you can nott add butter in fact the half cup measuring cup on top of the popper doubl…

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor $54.21 Makes up to 24% more juice than a leading petitorExtra-large 3″ chute juices whole fruits and vegetables with less prep800-watt motor processes whole fruits and vegetables in secondsLarge pulp bin allows the user to juice longer and add nutrient-rich pulp to any recipeAll removable parts are dishwasher-safeStainless steel strainer basket with cleaning brush for easy pulp removalEasy to assemble an…

Star Trek (Three-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray] $35.55 J.J. Abrams’ 2009 feature film was billed as “not your father’s Star Trek,” but your father will probably love it anyway. And what’s not to love? It has enough action, emotional impact, humor, and sheer fun for any moviegoer, and Trekkers will enjoy plenty of insider references and a cast that seems ideally suited to portray the characters we know they’ll become later. Both a prequel and a reboot,…

Winnie The Pooh: Springtime With Roo $1.99 …

The Princess and The Frog (Three Disc Combo: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy) $23.97 Disney returns to traditional animation with this loose adaptation of E.D. Baker’s novel “The Frog Princess.” In early 1900s New Orleans, Prince Naveen–transformed into a frog by a voodoo curse–mistakes the beautiful Tiana for a princess whose kiss will break the spell. But when the smooch also turns Tiana into a frog, the pair must race to find a way to change them both back, falling madly in l…

Fiskars 7870 Uproot Lawn and Garden Weeder $35.25 Our UpRoot Weed and Root Remover makes it easy to remove invasive plants from your lawn without kneeling, bending over or using harsh, costly herbicide. It features four serrated, stainless-steel claws that grab weeds by the root for clean removal, plus an easy-eject mechanism on the handle that clears the head between uses. The durable aluminum handle is extra-long to help you reach every weed wi…

Streamlight 73001 Nano Light Miniature Keychain LED Flashlight, Black $1.95 FEATURES Easily attaches to just about anything with pocket clip or key ring: 1 Up to 8 hours run time: 2 Machined aircraft grade aluminum with anodized finish: 3 Uses 4 alkaline button cell batteries included: 4 White LED bulb with 10 lumens: 5 Weatherproof: 6 Includes a non-rotating snap hook for easy one handed operation when atta…

Orbit 91213 One-Dial Garden Hose Digital Water Timer $31.99 This automatic garden hose watering kit has a single port for easy, automatic lawn watering. With a single dial, the Orbit 91213 hose faucet timer makes it effortless for you to set the clock, start time, duration and intervals. It features one-touch rain delay for water conservation. It comes with multilingual packaging and the water timer comes preprogrammed with multiple languages. It is constr…

The Countdown Reflection $1.99 …

Slumber Solutions Big Bump 3-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper $79.99 Big bump means big comfort. The sculpted foam design provides support and additional air flow for improved comfort. Memory foam is designed to reduce motion transfer and distribute weight evenly to help relieve stress points and muscle tension.

Sizzix Big Shot Machine with BONUS Sizzix Sizzlit $63.99 The Big Shot Machine features a stylish black and pink design and works with the entire Sizzix product library. This machine is ideal for creating any imaginable, perfectly-cut shapes for beautiful and unique creative projects.

Grande Hotel Collection Big Comfort 3-inch Queen/ King/ Cal King-size Memory Foam Mattress Topper $116.99 This mattress topper features a sculpted foam design to provide support and additional air flow for improved comfort. The dual sided design allows you to choose either a textured or smooth sleep surface.

Valenciara Coffee Bean Entertainment Console $181.14 Add a touch of elegance to your home decor with this Valenciara Entertainment Console. This entertainment center features a beautiful coffee bean finish and multiple shelves and drawers for storage and accessories.

Chai Microsuede Sofa Bed $389.99 Modern style and versatile design highlight this adjustable microsuede sofa bed. This bed features four-position click mechanism and an easy-to-clean upholstery and will complement any living space.

Clarkston 72-inch TV Console $877.49 This TV console by Clarkston features a beautiful dark espresso finish. The console showcases a solid oak construction and four pullout drawers for storage.

Burnell Espresso TV Media Stand $221.99 This espresso finished media console cabinet is the perfect option for those upgrading their home entertainment centers. The cabinet has adjustable shelves for organizing electronic components and media and will hold up to a 50 in. flat panel TV.

Cocoa Velvet Sofa Bed $209.99 You can relax comfortably in four reclining positions on this Cocoa Velvet sofa bed. This versatile furniture features a frame made of wood and steel for lasting durability.

Jeep Traveler Tandem Double Stroller in Spark $176.05 This stroller has been designed for parents with toddlers, the front seat is big kid friendly with easy seat access and play tray. Rear seat accommodates your most popular infant car seats, allowing you to keep newborns close by.

Riverside Sand Recliner $217.99 Bring style and comfort to your home with the Riverside Recliner. This bent wood arm and leg chair is available in a sand color option.