For the women in Big Four firms what is your level and what has made you stay? I’m an Associate and I’m interested in staying with my firm but rarely do I see a female leader and I worry that when I have children it’ll be hard to juggle it all.

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I’m a manager in big city, don’t have kids and don’t plan on having them. I can say that it drives me nuts that most assume that because I don’t have kids I don’t have life outside work, so I’m not given the same concessions as my female colleagues with kids. Which sometimes makes me resent them.

likesmarthelpful

Yea, I hear you. Manager here as well without kids. I feel like you should just make it known that you have other things to get to. Once it hits a certain, you can say, I’ll pick it back up tomorrow without feeling guilty. Because ppl without children most certainly have other things that they need to do. Maybe you want to go cook, workout, or just watch tv.

The higher you get in the ranks, the easier it is to have kids. The firm keeps rolling out more and more programs to help working mothers. You just have to decide what you want out of life. Women can have it all....just not at the same time.

likesmart

Define- ‘have it all’. Let’s talk about having to make twice the numbers in sales as your male counterparts, before senior leadership takes you seriously!

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Flexibility. I can come and go and it isn't a big deal. I work full time including busy season hours. No family near by and single mom. I attend all school events, have been class mom for both kids, plenty of vacation time. Yes, it is harder during busy season but at this point it is much more predictable and I am busy when it is colder. Kids are in before and after care but they like it. It is hard and I do pull back when needed. Maybe a 9-5 would be easier but I use all 30 vacation days, take the firm shut downs, etc. I worried so much about daycare when the kids were little but neither one of them remembers it at all. When I am with my children, I am 100% with them. I am not on my phone, with the exception of COVID, I do not work when I am home with them. I bill all my time I am working and do not eat hours. I am clear that I need advance notice about travel and I do volunteer for opportunities that require known travel that I can manage. I have looked to switch to private but the pay decrease for something that is truly 9-5 is significant. I do believe that having kids has slowed down my path to partner but I also choose to spend time with my kids and not network as much as my peers.

likeupliftinghelpful

I’ve been with the firm for 8 years (potentially getting promoted to sr manager this year, just waiting to hear) and have a nearly year-old kid. What helps me most is that my husband’s a stay-at-home dad. Of course that doesn’t work for everyone but having more equal gender roles in general helps. So often when both parents work the responsibility to pick up from daycare, staying home when baby is sick, etc. is assumed to be the woman’s responsibility. Your career matters just as much- make him “juggle” too! I see the partners within my practice actively trying to identify women for the partner pipeline, which definitely encourages me.

likesmart

My husband is also a stay at home dad :)

Partner. Made partner and then went on maternity leave 6 months later to have 2nd child. My kids are now 16 and 12. The flexibility and resources that the Firm provides is beyond anything that I see at my clients. Even before kids I had some challenging family situations and the support from the Firm was incredible. It definitely has its hard times - but I think my male counterparts have those same challenges. And my juggling skills have definitely improved!!

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Senior 2- This is a huge concern for me. I love working, I have a lot of ambition, and I want a lot of kids! LOL! I’m not married yet, but the bf and I have had very serious and frank conversations about roles/expectations for each other and I think as long as you have a supportive SO and you make the time and effort to set reasonable boundaries from work/personal then it can work. All of this require constant communication at the office and home. At least that’s why I keep telling myself. But I’ve also told my mom that I’ll need her help too, luckily I come from a culture where grandparents are a huge part of raising children. But that’s my game plan at least. There aren’t a lot of women PPMD in my practice group and I’m in a very large city so it’s not exactly inspirational here.

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S3 here. I have a 4 yo and a 4 mo. I have always put my children first, and my job has suffered for it, but I'm not willing to bend on being mom. My children are my legacy, not work.

likesmart

Senior manager, three kids. I had my first as SM1. It is true, you have a lot more control over what you do the higher up you get. I will say though, until covid I was traveling every week 2-3 days a week and questioning if it was sustainable every single week. I shed a lot of tears over leaving my babies.

likesmart

Same...priced out of the market.

Wow the Big 4 have great HR teams on here!

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Agreed - HR aren’t the ones telling us about these resources. Other parents at the firm are the ones to go to

I’m not HR either. 🤣 Never been mistaken for HR before.

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Senior 3 - My team gives me a lot of flexibility because they trust me. I love being able to manage my own time!

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Associate Partner here, American but living in a foreign city. No kids, second career for me. Not many women partners in my service line but the ones who are have children. I moved to Big 4 recently from a law firm which was much worse in terms of culture and female representation amongst leadership.

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Director here- I have one kid and another on the way. My husband and I both work for consulting firms and it’s definitely not easy, but I love what I do and so does he and I genuinely love the culture of working at the big 4. I started at another firm and left for corporate, and your co-workers just are not the same. I will say, the higher up you go the more flexibility you have regarding your schedule, clients, etc.

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Senior manager and just had my first kid. My firm (GT) is super supportive thus far with my career ambitions and with having my child. The firm totally supported me taking an extended leave and my bosses and peers have been my champions/cheerleaders my entire career. I really enjoy the team environment and working with clients. I hope to make it to partner and I also am a huge proponent of women in our practice. I have not yet gotten to the juggling part yet but have seen other women in my firm do it so I know it can be done! When I announced at work I was pregnant, I had so many mothers reach out to me offering advice and it felt great to be in that type of environment.

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Senior; four years in, second career. No kids but caretaker for my elderly parents. Totally burned out now; largely abandoned by my team, used as a “catch all” for every difficult job no one else wants to deal with, beyond ready to leave and had a great job lined up in salary negotiations, then Covid hit. Seeing as it was a travel company, that job dried up faster than light speed. Just trying to stay alive and make it through each day until the economy recovers and I can go back to job hunting.

likeuplifting

KPMG2, I’m sorry you’re going through this. That sounds really tough.

Senior Manager in tax here. I enjoy the work, the people, the flexibility. It also gives me great exit opportunities if I ever want out.

If you want to stay, stay. See what your life looks like with a kid and work. Your priorities might change a lot. Your spouse’s might too.

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I realized I forgot to mention any personal details!

I have a 4 year old daughter :) The firm has been great about giving me the flexibility and boundaries I need to make it work. My spouse also works full time as a consultant.

Partner w three children. The challenging work yet flexibility to be part time when needed or have a morning off to attend an event is what has kept me here.

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Come to the Southeast market. We have tons of female partners!

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Doesn’t sound like EY...

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S3 here - in a big city and have a condo. Not much interesting life but work. ( I meant I exercise) I think each firm has enough to support a women leader if you want to take the path. Flexibility of B4 is nice then you need to comprise for other stuffs. I think it will probably not the kid consideration that push me out though. Look at all female leaders I met in my firm, I think they are all alike - partners are alike actually. Do you have your mindset prepared? I don’t...I rethink every year but then I stick with PA.

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Don't leave before you leave - Leaning In

The longer I stay the longer I see how others make it work and all the flexibility and resources available that I wouldn't have in industry.

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Yes- this. I love the flexibility I get at PwC- especially compared to my biggest client (who I’d likely be working for if I decided to go into industry). I feel like the Big 4 uses things like parental benefits to compete for people and I don’t mind being a part of that arms race one bit!

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Director, 2 kids, 50% travel before COVID. It’s hard but there are a lot resources (also not widely promoted by HR but they will share if you ask). I have been considering seeing a therapist for stress and anxiety. I’m used to being home now and it’s going to be very hard to get back on the road. We have many female partners, but still overshadowed by men. Stick with it and you’ll find the flexibility you need, but it’s not going to handed to you on a platter. You have to make the firm work for you equally as hard as you work for them. And you have to take care of you, first.

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