<p>Are there any advantages, if you want to stay in public accounting, to working for a smaller/regional firm vs a Big 4/GT/BDO type of firm? Also, even if you want to become a controller or go private after a while, is it still feasible from a smaller firm or is it still mostly the Big 4 that holds the key to that door?</p>
<p>Assuming your smaller firm doesn’t just hire Big Four alums to be managers/partners etc…the track to partner is faster in the middle market firms. Also there’s less workload.</p>
<p>My boyfriend has been very successful at a smaller regional firm and really enjoys it. He was essentially doing senior associate work by his second busy season. The clients are smaller, which means he works with a lot more of them, instead of just having 2 or 3 main clients. He’s had the opportunity to do a lot of tax and consulting work in addition to audit work. His firm is part of a larger network of firms that has an exchange program, so he was able to work overseas for 3 months. I think you get to see a lot more at an earlier point in your career, and the advancement can be quicker.</p>
<p>taxguy’s sons both work at regional firms, and they are both doing quite well. Although one of them is thinking of jumping ship to work for a client (a mortician).</p>