Training with big 4

Kurooi

I am currently looking for a graduate placement, hope to get a training with one of the big four of course, but I may not get it from any of the four, I know what kind of respect goes towards them and want to know just from a practical perspective, how badly would I mess up my career if I went with some other leading accounting firm the kind of Grant Thornton, Mazars, BDO?

I expect better grades in my final year, sadly they won't be there to be seen when my applications are reviewed and I technically do have the option of heading towards masters, applying in a year and having a better chance at securing a position I want, it's just that I am a bit tired of the way my life looks right now, would much rather work and get some money...

If I trained with say one of the 3 I mentioned or any large enough firm then went to CAI and only after joined one of the big four as an auditor or a consultant would I have it much more difficult than someone who was heading there from the start? Would they be reluctant to let me in? Would someone look down at me in the future for not having the best graduate career? A lot of people seem to tell me that training with someone other than the big four is an early career suicide but I got to get someone with a practical knowledge to tell me.

Morte

From a pure numbers perspective the majority of accountants would not train with the Big 4. Many of them go on to have fine careers. It's nice to have on a CV. But most people are only passing through briefly, few stay for long. Do you think in 20 years time people are going to pay much attention to where you did the first three years of your work experience? 99% of it will be looking at your recent experience and how the 40 year old you matches the job.

The others you listed are also major international firms and I wouldn't be so dismissive of them. They're very highly respected and in many cases there would be minimal differences between the quality of their graduate intake and the Big 4. And of course many people go on to do well after starting in very small firms.

April O Neill

Morte wrote: »

The others you listed are also major international firms and I wouldn't be so dismissive of them.

Exactly! Getting accepted to train with them is hardly "messing up" your career, OP. I'd be happy to train with any of them.

Trainme

I would choose Grant Thornton over any of top 4... in an ideal 'offers from everyone' situation.. its just their intake is nowhere near the volume of that of the big 4..

Kurooi

Thanks for the help It sure takes my mind off things. I'll apply to a lot of places and see how it goes hopefully I can make it out there somewhere. Been looking for advice around and actually found out about a lot of benefits in going with a smaller firm, a lot of them apparently let you be less specialized in your work so as to experience many different areas and they seem to be happy with you switching in between what you want to do. Also I might want to set up my own practice at some point, working in just audit for years won't quite cut it if I plan to do that.

amklo

Training outside of the Big 4 certainly isn't career suicide, and if you're thinking of setting up your own practice at some point, I'd possibly advise against training in a Big 4 and advocate a smaller/medium sized practice...possibly top 10 where you would get some audit experience but also some experience in accounts preperation, tax and across a variety of businesses. This type of experience is exteremely valuable and transferable. I know of plenty of Big4 trained accountants that can't complete a set of accounts and tax return for a small business after their training. Your options can be very open in a smaller practice and if you feel afterwards that you'd have prefered a Big4 training, you can always do a year or two in a Big 4 afterwards (either here or abroad) as a senior/manager there....as one of the previous posters mentioned, most graduates don't stay there after they qualify.

ACA is a fantastic qualification wherever you obtain it. While working hard and studying can be difficult, you've a great support network, the craic is mighty and you'll make friends for life.