Career Advice you know you want too

JM_2009

For anyone who dares advise,

Left a Big 4 firm 2.5 years ago and moved to Fund Accounting and have since fully qualified. I wasnt mad about Big 4 Audit tbh, but with Hindsight I think having a number of years practice experience on the CV is a good thing. Also oppurtunities for progression are very limited in Funds.

Anyway I have been given the opportunity to move back to practice (albeit not a Big 4 firm, a Top 7 firm who shall remain nameless:cool:) and would be working in Funds Audit not commercial Audit.

I know Im excellent at my current job but the lack of career progression has me worried. Any advice appreciated I know theres a fairly experienced guy living in Switzerland (Jim) who visits this site regularly,I'd also appreciate his view

Hackysack

It seems like you have your mind made up already!

Have you gotten in touch with a recruiter? They can advise you on routes to go through and what potential prospects are out there, and there seems to be a good few.

I'm also aware that there are some roles for Audit Seniors for some Big 4 firms which may be suitable for you, but presumably with your background they would put you back in towards Investment Management which it seems you're trying to leave.

Although I know of some people who trained in funds and a lot of them are now working outside of them so topping up on some audit experience may not be the worst thing in the world, especially if you're toying around with the idea of looking at other industries.

JM_2009

Thanks for the Advice,

Have you any insight as to what OT hours are like in non big 4 audit firms (say top6/7)? I'm aware of the commitment in Big 4 firms and have heard that the smaller firms aren't as bad ?

Hackysack

Sorry I've no idea, but I would imagine they would be just as heavy as the big 4 firms - but that's just my own theory so there's no weight in it!

Jim2007

What I'm missing here is a clear statement on what you want to achieve in with your career in say the next 5 years. Then you need a plan to achieve this. Even an imperfect plan is better than none!

I don't see how your proposed move changes anything - all you are doing is getting up from the table, walking around and sitting down on the other side - you will still be dealing with the same situation and your career progressing will still be based on the norms of the industry.

You should also remember that you only need one opportunity to progress, so that fact that opportunities are limited in general, that does not mean that you can't progress, it just means that there is going to be competition...

I really think you need to put some time into think about what you want to do and what you then need to do in order to achieve it. In other words be very deliberate in your actions rather than bouncing around hoping you'll bump into an opportunity.

JM_2009

Hi Jim,

Apologies I am late getting back to you my email never informed me you replied.

In the next 5 years I want to be as employable as I possibly can be. I also want to have more options open to me - and while I am working in Funds My fear is that I will limit my options the longer I say.

The company I work for is a good company and I am content there the only thing is I am also bored out of my mind - something that worries me greatly.

The other fear I have is that I did work in audit before and wasn't the biggest fan of it (1 or 2 bad clients in 2,5 years) but I feel from looking at peers and former colleagues Audit seems to open up more doors for you? (Could be wrong tho)

My plan would be to go back to practice and have it in my head that I was going there for say 2 years. Then for those 2 years I would work harder than I ever did before - with the aim that at the end of the 2 years I'd be 20 times the person I am now - I.e. more exposure to clients, more exposure to IFRS, controls, more exposure to different fund setups etc etc.

If I liked it , which believe it or not I think I could this time then I would look at it as a long term move and as an opportunity to really make a name for myself.

Appreciate your advice Jim