Busy season as a Big 4 auditor

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I'm also an auditor at a Big Four, been here a little over 2 years, and the main thing I'd say about busy (or any season) season hours is that they can vary massively depending on the client and even on different divisions of the same client.

I work on corporate audits and:
- The latest I've worked to is 10PM
- I've worked past 8PM <10 times
- Never worked a single weekend

Then again there are those in my departments who have worked weekends and have worked past midnight. As I say, it varies massively from client to client and you never really know what you're in for. The only thing to avoid is Financial Services audit- you work FS hours but on audit pay. Not worth it at all.

Reply 21

Kutie Karen

Original post by snakesnake

Which sector are you in?

Reply 22

Tbx

Original post by Roronoa

Tax generally do much better hours. No I don't wish that because I think audit is more versatile - say if I want to move into corporate finance/consulting internally or go into IB later on.

I was thinking of doing tax then exiting after ACA, but reading around I think I may have shot myself in the foot.

Although you do long hours, is the work complicated as such or is it just boring?

Reply 23

M1011

Original post by Classical Liberal

I can't see why the partners would care? As far as they are concerned, they've got their fixed fee, and they've paid their overheads. Also, surely the partners wouldn't want the time sheets to be fudged, they would want the actual figures so they can work out what is actually going on in terms of hours worked at a client.

In a one partner firm yes, it wouldn't matter at all.

However in reality partners are assessed based on the profitability of their individual projects, and this is determined by assigning costs based on hours booked to their project codes. A partner that brings in more profit gets a bigger piece of the pie - hence the incentive.

I'm not making all this up on a whim by the way, I've been told this first hand :tongue:

Reply 24

M1011

Original post by Kutie Karen

I agree with you absolutely. However, as far as I know there is no travel policy and don't really know what can be done re the excessive commute and lack of support. Any suggestions?

First step, check your firms intranet site. There will be a travel policy without doubt for a big 4 firm, it's just a case of finding it. If you can't find it yourself, call the help desk and ask for a copy of the travel policy. Or ask around your peers. Or ask your councillor / mentor / appraiser.

That said, merely having the policy doesn't fix your problem and waving a bit of paper in peoples faces probably isn't the best course of action. Use the policy to figure out if you have a case, then go and have a sensible chat with the project manager about the situation. If that doesn't work, speak to your appraiser (or w/e it's called at your firm) and explain your concerns. Trust me, they've been there and done that - they'll be able to help you out on this.

Reply 25

Kutie Karen

Original post by M1011

Spoken to both. Might has well have not bothered. Apparently, this is the "norm" but others don't have this horrendous commute. Really stuck as to what to do.

Reply 26

snakesnake

Original post by Kutie Karen

Which sector are you in?

Kind of a vague one- we do infrastructure, business services, construction, transport, property. But as I said: you can be working very different hours at one client vs another in the very same industry.

Reply 27

username1204872

Original post by snakesnake

Precisely. And ditto to the comment above regarding group vs. divisional audit teams. So even for the same client, different divisions could be working very different hours.

Some FS audit teams actually get it good. My friend at another Big 4 does 9am to 7pm during his busy season, which is pretty much my non busy season schedule.

Reply 28

M1011

Original post by Kutie Karen

Spoken to both. Might has well have not bothered. Apparently, this is the "norm" but others don't have this horrendous commute. Really stuck as to what to do.

To confirm so no misunderstanding - you're saying you're on a client where your commute is over 4 hours a day (round trip) and they've said no to providing accommodation?

The only way I could understand this is if the cause of your 2 hour commute is your own doing - so basically if you lives ages from your base location office and the trip from your base location to the client isn't that far. Is that the case?

Did you get a copy of the travel policy? There simply must be one - so find it!

Reply 29

Kutie Karen

Travelling to the office is okay and it generally takes an hour and half. However, the away jobs are the problem. They don't seem to understand how difficult and stressful it is.. If the trains are delayed ect then naturally it is longer.

Reply 30

M1011

Original post by Kutie Karen

OK so here is your issue. You've chosen to live somewhere 90 minutes away from the office!

How long would your commute be from your base location office to the client site? If that's under an hour I can totally see where they're coming from - you've made a choice (likely to save money) and they have no obligation to fork out on a hotel for you because of that. It may be stressful, but then you have to make the choice to move closer to work!

Reply 31

Kutie Karen

, I thought that if you are working at a client site then that is your place of work for the week, month etc. So it is the total journey time one way from home to the client site (place of work) that should be taken into account, People don;t go to their normal office and then do their journey to the client site each day. Can anyone tell me what their travel policy says just out of interest?

Reply 32

alibee

Original post by Kutie Karen

Hah what? While no-one is suggesting you would actually travel to base office then out to client, my travel policy involves deducting your "usual" commuting time and costs from home to base office and back before making any claims for costs/time/hotels to stop precisely what you're talking about... Otherwise I could say I lived at my parents' house 3 hours away and my firm would have to put me up in a hotel every day of the year...

Reply 33

Kutie Karen

Interesting. Staying at home is preferable to staying at a hotel. I just think it is unreasonable to do such a long commute on a daily basis.

Reply 34

Chapeau Rouge

Original post by Roronoa

This time I'll have to study for Business Planning Taxation/Tax Compliance most nights I get home. Joy!

BPT is the worst. Don't envy you for that in busy season too!

Reply 35

Kutie Karen

Original post by Chapeau Rouge

What Big 4 is this? PwC wouldn't do this, they allow hotels for Milton Keynes from London and you can get there in about 35 mins from Euston!

That is really good. The toll of travelling is the issue not really fussed about staying in hotels if there is no real need. Is that what the travel policy says or just understanding managers?

Reply 36

Chapeau Rouge

Original post by Kutie Karen

I have a similar situation - I live at home currently to save money and can get to the office in about an hour. I have been given clients the other side of London beyond the office which were ridiculous to get to, the worst being 1hr 45 each way minimum. I got really ill and when they gave me another one, I told them I had to swap because there was no way I could do it. I would recommend talking to resourcing about it to get somewhere more central - that said if central London is an hour and a half for you, I really think you should consider moving long-term as it's really not great for your health!

Reply 37

Chapeau Rouge

Original post by Kutie Karen

That is really good. The toll of travelling is the issue not really fussed about staying in hotels if there is no real need. Is that what the travel policy says or just understanding managers?