Teacher Cee

First Class, Yet I Felt Like a Failure

4 years ago, I was in the DMs of everyone I could send a message to. Cold emails, LinkedIn messages, just asking for someone to take a chance on me.

I got a mountain of rejections. Regret mails stacked so high I stopped counting. For someone with a first class, I felt like a failure.

I even walked into a firm once, only to be asked: ‘What do you want to do in finance with Urban Planning?’ Don’t you think you are wasting your time?

And I’ll never forget the night I cried after scaling through every stage at a Big 4, only to get the dreaded ‘love letter’ after the partners’ interview. I cried so hard I called my mum, and she was so worried she begged me to come home.

But life has its phases. Some chapters sting with rejection. Some feel like waiting rooms. And then slowly, the page turns.

One DM led to my GT role at Pedabo. One step opened the door to the next. Brick by brick, things began to align.

Today, my career is on check. And I can say, with full chest , I’ve never been this happy in my life.

It’s been one hell of a ride. And I’m grateful for every ignored DM, every regret mail, every ‘no’ because then I wouldn’t be where I am now, which is exactly where I want to be. 💛

Abeg, those of you that are engaged, how do you consciously remember to wear your engagement rings? 😂

It’s been over 3 weeks now and I only remember I’m supposed to be wearing a ring when I catch a glimpse of someone else’s ring. 😭😂

I needed some information on a firm recently and it immediately crossed my mind that someone who had reached out to me about three years ago for guidance on a Graduate trainee process now works there.

I sent him a message and honestly, he was so forthcoming. He gave me information I didn’t even necessarily ask for🤣.

It made me realise again that life really does come full circle.

You genuinely never know where the people you help today will be tomorrow, or where life will take you both.

So, as much as I can, I try to help people. Even when I don’t have the time to respond immediately, I make a mental note to get back to them when I can.

Not because I expect anything in return, but because you just never know.

Help people when you can. Share what you know. Open a door when you have the opportunity.

You never know when life will bring you back to that same door, just on the other side.

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I saw a tweet earlier asking where people who leave the Big 4 actually go next, and I smiled.

It’s a genuine question.

But from what I’ve seen, a lot of people in the Big 4 aren’t necessarily there with the intention of staying until Partner. They are there to learn as much as they can, build expertise, get the exposure and create an edge for themselves.

And honestly, even Partners leave.

There is so much happening outside the Big 4. What I find interesting is that you may not even know some of these opportunities exist until you are inside.

You work with a client in a particular industry. You see how a transaction is structured. You meet people on the other side of the table. You start to understand businesses and roles you probably would never have come across otherwise.

That exposure changes your view of what is possible.

Think about it this way. You could join as one of 20 Graduate Trainees. As you move up, the number gets smaller. People leave at every stage for different opportunities.

By the time you get to Partner, only a tiny fraction of that original group will still be there. Maybe one out of the 20, if that.

So where do the others go?

Quite literally, everywhere.

Some move into industry. Some go into investment banking, private equity, corporate finance or development finance. Some move abroad. Some simply find a path that makes more sense for them.

And I think that is one of the beauties of the Big 4.

Wherever you decide to go next, you are not starting from scratch. You are taking years of experience, technical knowledge, exposure and credibility with you.

And in many cases, you command almost twice, sometimes even more, of what you were earning before.

The Big 4 may not be where you end up.

But it can give you the leverage to decide where you want to go next.