From: REDACTED Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2013 11:06 PM To: REDACTED Subject: Question Hey REDACTED, We talked a couple weeks back at the UW-Milwaukee accounting night. (I was the one looking for equity research positions and had a zit on my lip that could have passed for a cold sore. Lol. Whew. It was not. You’re probably like, “uh… What?” Maybe that helps you recall, maybe not. Not completely important, I suppose. Anyways, if you have a chance here is my question: (background first) I interviewed with BDO and Baker Tilly today, two firms that seem like good places to work, I believe they don’t kill you like a big 4. Tomorrow I have an interview with Deloitte somewhere I thought I’ve always wanted to work. Obviously I don’t have an offer so this is all hypothetical thinking, but if I get the job, the reality of the situation is that I’m getting old. 25. I know you can’t force love and I know it just comes when you’re not looking, but would working for a big four completely squash any possibilities for potential relationships if one came along? Is working for a big four a potential career - love trade off? I mean, I like money(as do most females) but love is…great What are your thoughts? Thanks! REDACTED
^It’s a female. And I’m sure it was a ‘zit’ that surfaces bout once a month…
Though I ain’t hating. I hand my card out now and again to young pups and I get these canned templated emails as if they were pulled out of a “How to Network For Dummies” book. It brings me a little joy when I can tell the person has some personality and color and not all about 4.0 GPAs, 800 GMATs, No Fap, and M&A’in on the Buyside 4 Lyfe. Heck, one guy even said we should catch a game sometime as he has a connection at MSG. Sold!
It’s a real email from someone seeking trusted insight. Pay it forward bro and write her back. You’ll get nowhere by showing off how important and time crunched you are while making her look stupid. The world is small and life is long.
Big 4 are notorious for their “burn and churn” model with new hires. For your first two years, they expect you to be available 24/7/365 and figure they’ll just replace you with some other fresh, young, energetic recent grad when you can’t take it anymore. I work with Big 4 folks on pretty much a daily basis, and I honestly do get emails from the most junior person on the team at 2 and 3 in the morning.
I honestly like the manner in which she formulates this email. She makes it personable, perhaps a bit too personable with the zit but nevertheless, this will leave a lasting impact. She proves that she has some personality and values things outside of work which again, probably presents her as a human as opposed to another email. Finally, and i believe this is the most important aspect of this email, she leaves the reader with a duty to respond because she brings up something that most (females) can relate to. I believe the receiver of this email is probably a female too and therefore will feel obliged to respond and defend her course of action. She will probably respond with how she met her husband working at this firm and viola, the sender turned a networking email and some how manifested it to a personal email.
Then again, you did find it on the internet so another viable outcome of this was the receiver was a jealous b*tch clearly intimidated by this young, ambition, probably attractive competitior and disclosed her email to the web.
Interesting. I never got this impression of accountants, but that is probably because I rarely interact with these new analysts at accounting firms. The older (lazier?) people I talk to tend to work 9 to 5. I suppose this notion of “paying your dues” is present in many fields.
Poor guy is clueless. Keep the follow up to 3-4 sentances tops, always assume they remember you because you are important even if your don’t feel that way. leave a call to action, and don’t wait a few weeks to follow up.
I got one guy who i met who i can’t figure out if he wants me to date him, be his friend or invest in his business. its confusing…
somewhere I thought I’ve always wanted to work. Obviously I don’t have an offer so this is all hypothetical thinking, but if I get the job, the reality of the situation is that I’m getting old. 25. I know you can’t force love and I know it just comes when you’re not looking, but would working for a big four completely squash any possibilities for potential relationships if one came along? Is working for a big four a potential career - love trade off? I mean, I like money(as do most females) but love is…great 
What are your thoughts? Thanks! REDACTED