Big 4 Hiring?Which department to apply for?

timo87

Mods feel free to move this if ye think its appropriate, I'm still a relative newbie here.

Basically I am going into my final year of my undergrad, all going to plan ill have a fairly good 2.1 in business and legal studies.

My plan at the moment is that I will apply to the big 4 in the milk round as a first preference, though things don't look too rosey at the moment and I fully realise it will be very competitve to secure any sort of a job.

My first query is if there is any sort of indication as to how much reductions in grad hiring could be expected this year? From what i have researched, globally they will be reducing intake by circa 8% but I assume this could be higher here? Can't find any details specific to Ireland.

Secondly, and this is just a shot in the dark, but i would very much appreciate some guidance on what department I should apply for.
Basically I don't think I'd like auditing. If I could cherry pick, I would be applying to the corporate advisory departments with a focus on risk/compliance and restructuring, this would reflect my in my subjects and I would be genuinely intrested in it. Tax would also intrest me, I got an A in revenue law last year and would jump at a job there as well.

To be honest, if I was offered a job in an Audit department today I would take it even though it would not be my first preference. As audit departments are the largest recruiters in these companies, would I be shooting myself in the foot employment wise by pursuing the other two instead?


Sorry if the post is a bit long winded, any bit of insight would be much appreciated.




Timo87

Pascal Yeah

Unfortunately I think u would be shootting yourself if you went for advisory, they never hired to many and honestly there will be very few hired this year!! Afterall all companies are cutting back on the professional fees!! Tax go ahead good place to work 9-5 most days and they generally will always be hiring more!! be advised that with BL you get very few exemptions and this will mean a mountain of exams to do before you get anywhere!!

Audit would be your safest bet of course but even there it is much tougher to get a place when I joined they hired 30 in my department alone last year it was 12 and this year it is 8. and its the same in all the big four..

Unfortunately in audit you will be working 12 hours a day for about 4 months of the year for very little money and no thanks!! but if you are interested in advisory it is probably worthwhile considering the experience u get. And I work in the big four so I should know!

Do not discount however the smaller firms as you probably will get a better rounded experience overall.

seven-iron

audit

7i

Pisco Sour

My advice from experience would be to avoid Auditing like the plague or at least have it as a last resort. Perhaps apply for auditing in a Big 4 firm during the milkround and if you get an offer then you have it as a backup and then spend the next 9 months trying to find a job in an area you are more interested in.

Cantoris

Corporate recovery is obviously a growing business at the moment and they need staff, although they will probably staff from the audit departments too. Corporate Finance and Transaction Services are smaller departments and given the current environment it is difficult to see them expanding although both have work (KPMG TS are doing the Zoe Developments work and Corp Finance houses are doing banking restructuring). Tax is going to be a tough area for the next few years and can't imagine that much juicy stuff going on so more of the mundane work.

Which brings me to audit, where I did my training. Get the most general department you can i.e. not Financial Services related. This will give you exposure to varied clients. Be sure to know which partner you will be working for and who his clients are. You need to make a decision on whether you want to work in audit. If you make the effort it is a great start to your career and if you work hard then you will get good experience (clever and good trainees get the best clients). If you go in with the attitude that you hate it, then you will have three or four years of torture.

It does sound though that a smaller firm would suit you as you will probably learn a bit about everything. Bear in mind that the Big 4 name is very valuable when you leave.

Hackysack

Put audit as your second preference at least.

Most of the points have already been hit.

Advisory has a very small intake each year with Auditing being the biggest. I personally don't find it to be as bad as some people let on. It's kinda tedious but it all depends on your attitude at the end of the day.

I would advise against aiming for a Financial Services type department (although they'll probably be the biggest audit department you could be put into). It's rather technical, even more boring and you'll rarely interact with anybody physically, and the terminology is rather business finance oriented which may be difficult to initially interpret if you didn't cover some of them in college.

rose_2

well I know for a fact that one of the big four wont be taking on any more tax graduates until 2011, there's just no work. I am also applying to a Big Four purely because thats where the jobs are for business graduates but I'll also be keeping my eye out for something better!!

Hiddenuser

If you dont have CAP1 or CAP2 exemptions SERIOUSLY consider doing a masters. Read up on these exams and decide to you feel these are for you. Few people look at road invloved in getting to be quailifed and especially those not from an accounting background can get a shock on how long and how hard it can be.

Carlitos

Hiddenuser wrote: »

If you dont have CAP1 or CAP2 exemptions SERIOUSLY consider doing a masters. Read up on these exams and decide to you feel these are for you. Few people look at road invloved in getting to be quailifed and especially those not from an accounting background can get a shock on how long and how hard it can be.

i got into advisory this year thank god...or so i thought in October 08. the exams are "strongly encouraged" but that only meant they were compulsory of course. I'm hoping the job is as interesting as the job brief sounded but it usually isn't. I hope to avoid pure auditing as much as possible. anyone with experience in advisory?

what kind of work did you see on average? was it totally different to what you thought? any info is appreciated.

Vaioer

Carlitos wrote: »

what kind of work did you see on average? was it totally different to what you thought? any info is appreciated.

1. Anything and everything- ranging for audit type activity to research to workshops
2. Yes, totally different. And not in a good way.

Carlitos

Vaioer wrote: »

1. Anything and everything- ranging for audit type activity to research to workshops
2. Yes, totally different. And not in a good way.

2. concerns me but i kinda expected that. briefs always sound great and jobs seldom are.

at least the "anything and everything" is true. it might not set the world on fire but it could be worse i guess.