The Reality of Work Hours for First-Year Accountants at the Big Four

Working for a Big Four accounting firm is no cakewalk. The demands to hit certain billable hours every week can often seem daunting and unrelenting. In this article, we will delve into the actual weekly hours that first-year accountants typically put in, the pressures they face, and the impact on their personal and professional lives.

First-Year Accountants: A Case Study

When I was working for a Big Four firm in the early 2010s, the expectation was to consistently hit at least 40 hours per week. This was a demanding requirement, primarily focused on billable work and other authorized firm activities such as training classes. There were instances, however, where the workweek stretched to 17 hours a day every single day. It's important to note that not all of these hours were fully productive. Many teams possess a strict hierarchical structure where one cannot leave until the manager or senior member allows it. Even then, the intensity can be overwhelming.

Hours and Expectations

For the period from 2011 to 2015, the understanding was that first-year accountants should be putting in at least 60 hours per week. With the addition of overtime which had to be approved, this expectation was even more stringent. At the same time, there was immense pressure to obtain your professional license within a one to two-year period. To clarify, some of these hours were not spent on active, productive work but rather on waiting for approvals or guidance from the senior team. For those dedicated employees, 70 to 90 hours per week was not uncommon.

The Senior Levels

As one ascends the ranks within the firm, the expectations and demands continue to intensify. By the time individuals reach the senior levels, it is not uncommon for them to log 90 to 100 hours per week. There were instances where the senior staff, contending with personal or professional challenges, pushed the boundaries even further. One such story involved a senior manager undergoing a divorce, working an astonishing 300 to 400 charge hours per month, or roughly 10 hours a day without respite, for a period of three to four months. This level of dedication faced criticism from the managing partner of the office, who quipped that there was no award for working so much, and even suggested a modest gift card for reaching 200 hours per month as an honorarium. This incident highlights the cultural aspect of the Big Four firms where such work habits were not only tolerated but often encouraged, albeit in an adversarial manner.

Wages and Productivity

It's important to consider the context of these hours in terms of compensation. By my recollection, first-year accountants were expected to bill between 2200 to 2400 hours annually. Dividing this by 50 weeks and subtracting two weeks of vacation, this translates to approximately 44 to 48 billable hours per week. This highlights the significant expectations placed on these individuals and the pressures they faced to meet these targets. Moreover, it's essential to factor in the time allocated for budgeting, project management, and administrative tasks, which would further increase the perceived workload.

Conclusion

The work hours of first-year accountants at the Big Four firms are a testament to the extremely demanding nature of the profession. While the average expectation was around 60 hours a week, some individuals pushed their limits to 90 or even 100 hours. These intense workloads, driven by the need to meet professional deadlines and maintain personal integrity, speak to the complexity and stress of the role.