Need some advice.. thoughts on SetSail.
Hi everyone!
Debating between an offer from 200 employee company vs Zoom (the company).
The smaller company has good benefits, great wlb and a great culture per Glassdoor reviews. But its an HR software and not easy to sell.
Compensation is similar.
Never worked in a big company like zoom before, what are the pros, and the drawbacks?
Zoom
Are there any solid recruiters in SF?
Visual Storyteller
Chief
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I jumped from a top 15 firm to PWC. Absolutely worth it. Even if same salary I’m sure you have much better comp opportunity through bonus and incentives. Environment and culture were 10x better.
No do NOT take that. Especially dropping a level. You’ll find yourself taking a HUGE step back in your career. In this market you want a raise, a bonus, and bump UP a level. Don’t settle for less.
PLEASE don’t listen to this. People are forgetting that if you drop a level you will get a promotion bonus when you get promoted ON TOP OF A REGULAR BONUS as long as you are there for I think over 6 months or something. I literally did the same thing and made so much more through that. And then when I decided to leave, I got a great bump to go back to midsize. Do I have friends that are making more by sticking at the midsize firm, yes, but not many and they also don’t have the strong resume I have now.
Both financially and experience wise, I found it worthwhile as at manager they expect you to function. I knew nothing about their systems and how they handle that level of clients so even if I got a manager role, it would have been tough to succeed.
Typically I would say take it but I don’t think any accountants should be switching jobs for no pay increase these days
After reading some of these responses, maybe think hard if moving to the big 4 is worth the egos you may encounter. 😂
This is perspective you should definitely take into account. Coming from a smaller national firm myself - monetarily it was a great decision but I think the people at Big 4 (myself included at times) can be a nightmare to work with
I can tell you that’s false. KPMG clientele is no different from other big 4. You won’t regret
EY1 is the person who sits alone and nobody likes. Guarantee they would not have any guts to say this IRL. FB has really allowed the anti - social accountants to act tough online.
Depends on personal financial situation but with no pay increase, that's not worth it in my opinion.
I agree
Do two to three years in a big 4 and then you will see how attractive your resume is. I started my career in the industry with a fortune 100 company. I found it very difficult to find the right move. I joined KPMG and within two years I was getting approached by recruiters every other day. TBH I was exposed to more complicated tax issues in the industry than at KPMG but no one cares about that.
And why would you go in as SA instead of manager, was it your decision to adapt or that's the offer you received?
Community Builder
Call their bluff
In the current job market I think the demotion and no salary increase are red flags. I will not accept the offer. Either negotiate or continue interviewing with other big firms to counter it.
Community Builder
I would say no, don’t sell yourself short.
Personally, I hyped it up just like you probably have and left a job that I actually semi-enjoyed. The big 4 sounds sexy but it’s not everything you think it will be. Trust me
G360 accounts are thankless and a total grind … 🤪
Mentor
I think a lot of these comments are a bit shortsighted. You’ll make way more in the long run by going to a big4. While you may be dropping down a level now, and your pay is staying the same, when you get back to the level you’re currently at, you’ll be making more than you were at that position at your non big 4.
The issue is that big4 doesn’t value top30 experience the same as big4 experience. There is a reason for this. Don’t expect industry to be any different. Use this year to “equalize.”
Not all accounting firms are the same.
I don’t think the comp comment is accurate. Until you get to partner level the comp will be pretty much the same sometimes more in the mid size firms. However, it is true in industry big four experience is important because they want to see that you have worked with large clients.
Do it. I left big 4 for top 30 and it’s terrible. I learn 0, get 0 feedback, and since I’m not a homegrowner (thank god I’m not cause i actually have technical knowledge thanks to KPMG) I’m basically ignored.
Go for a year and go back to top30 for even more lol
D1 said it very well. Good to have a couple of years at big four and then you can go back and forth. Big4 has more resources with national groups, but you would likely be siloed in your experience. Mid size gives you an opportunity to dabble in a lot of things and figure out what you want to be a specialist in. In essence they both have their positives and negatives. I think it’s just important in the long to really think what you want to end up doing and the type of work you want to do.
Be careful and realistic about what you are capable of and what the Big 4 will expect. I have been at EY for 12 years and I would say experienced hires from small firms at the seiner-senior manager levels have about a 30% chance of success. We see so many who come and are gone within months to a year. The pressure and expectations can really throw some people for a loop.
Yes, smart move. I went from a Regional firm mid-30s to EY. I received a 14% pay increase and 2k sign on bonus. At my old firm I was a Senior II about to be promoted to Manager within 4 months. EY reset me back to Senior I. I now get to work on large publicly traded global consolidated filers. I Prep, review and audit provisions. I now get the kind of experience that makes me marketable to industry or allows me to come down to a National or Regional firm as a specialist and subject matter expert. We'll worth it. Do it.
What’s a top 30 firm? I didn’t get the memo.
A firm right outside the top 25 🤷🏽♂️
Mentor
I've worked at Big4, Midtier and lower Midtier. I did enjoy my time at Big4 and they do have an abundance of resource that you won't ever see at any non-big4 firm less you go to some specialty boutiques but I don't think it's worth it. If you're looking to leave, imagine going to another top 30 firm and getting a 20% raise. Is it worth it to be compensated 20% less than you're worth for multiple years?
I'd only say do it if you were staying at the same title, not dropping down. And only if you view this as a step towards ultimate goal of getting a good industry job.
Can confirm, my exit ops from Top 20 firm has been rough. Get the name on your resume and get out.
What’s the level you are dropping down to? Is it senior to staff? Manager to senior? All of that matters. Where do you live? What was the explanation for dropping a level? Did you try to negotiate pay?
I went from mid size to big 4 and I’m happy with my decision but that fit MY situation. You have to give more details regarding your situation for people to be able to give you quality advice.
This is true. I’m a senior 2 and I can confirm that from my perspective, mid-tier prepared their staff and interns WAY more because we had the time and resources. Obviously we weren’t working with Google or big time $ but big 4 throws people with ZERO knowledge and training at problems they have no business working on and fully expect quality work. Totally insane. It makes my job very hard.