Leaving big 4 after the FAEs

FrStone

Has anyone left the big 4 after doing their FAEs with about 18 months left in the contract?

I'm fairly sick of the whole place, the low wages and the overtime. A client has offered me a job in the past which I've turned down. I'm half tempted to take it if I pass the FAEs. I know I'd enjoy what I'm doing and it would be a great opportunity. My salary would double too. I'm just wondering has anyone any experience of jumping ship.

Gaillimh1976

You can't get your qualification without completing your training contract (unless the rules have changed since my day)

If you're going to leave, no point putting yourself through the stress of FAE as it would be worthless without completed training contract signed off by your Training Partner

Is the new job conditional on you being qualified ?

FrStone

Gaillimh1976 wrote: »

You can't get your qualification without completing your training contract (unless the rules have changed since my day)

If you're going to leave, no point putting yourself through the stress of FAE as it would be worthless without completed training contract signed off by your Training Partner

Is the new job conditional on you being qualified ?

No the job isn't conditional on me being qualified, however I would prefer to be qualified myself - hence why I've turned it down up until now.

If would still be possible to get the letters after my name if I moved, essentially I just complete the rest of my experience with my new employer.

Gaillimh1976

FrStone wrote: »

If would still be possible to get the letters after my name if I moved, essentially I just complete the rest of my experience with my new employer.

Not sure if that's the case. It's quite a while since I went through the process, but at the time it had to be a single contract with one recognised training firm

Also, if the new job is with a client, I am presuming they are not a recognised training firm

Is there maybe a way of switching to qualifying through industry part way through ?

Might be worth an off-the-record chat with someone in ACASSI or whatever its' called now before you commit to anything that can't be undone


Good luck with it whatever you decide

iwishihadaname

FrStone wrote: »

No the job isn't conditional on me being qualified, however I would prefer to be qualified myself - hence why I've turned it down up until now.

If would still be possible to get the letters after my name if I moved, essentially I just complete the rest of my experience with my new employer.

You can switch during a training contract with the permission of your company, they have discretion on whether they sign off on your CA diary in a case like this. Also make sure your new company is a recognised training firm.

I almost did it during my contract but glad I stuck with it. You will spend the rest of your career explaining why you left, it looks better on your cv that you stayed. That's just my opinion though.

Humour Me

Check your contract in relation to the CA Diary. I have heard of cases where the firm has refused to approve the experience logged to date if someone left mid contract, so you are left at square one for your work experience.

Marcusm

FrStone wrote: »

No the job isn't conditional on me being qualified, however I would prefer to be qualified myself - hence why I've turned it down up until now.

If would still be possible to get the letters after my name if I moved, essentially I just complete the rest of my experience with my new employer.

Does the putative employer have current registered CA students? If not I doubt that the experience would qualify. In the end of the day, it's a short period of time; try to move departments or business sectors. Alternatively, you might find that your role changes dramatically post FAE when you have more experience and fewer pre committed non office periods.