Which of the Big Four offer the best graduate programme?

another question · 07-06-2013 09:35AM #1

I heard about the Research & Development Tax Practice graduate programme provided by KPMG in Dublin. Has anyone any experience of this programme that would be willing to give me some information about it.

Also, I have researched all the Big Four companies and KPMG stand out to me as being the best, what is the general opinion on this.

I am an Accounting Technician looking to study the ACA and become a Tax specialist so the above programme seems to offer me exactly what I am looking for but I have a couple of questions so if anyone has any experience in this area your advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Rothmans · 07-06-2013 03:28PM

another question wrote: »

I heard about the Research & Development Tax Practice graduate programme provided by KPMG in Dublin. Has anyone any experience of this programme that would be willing to give me some information about it.

Also, I have researched all the Big Four companies and KPMG stand out to me as being the best, what is the general opinion on this.

I am an Accounting Technician looking to study the ACA and become a Tax specialist so the above programme seems to offer me exactly what I am looking for but I have a couple of questions so if anyone has any experience in this area your advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Depends entirely on the person. Whichever programme best suits your needs is the one you should go for. For yo it was KPMG, for me, it was PwC, for others it'll be Delloite, and then some unfortunate souls will get stuck with a certain other company which shall remain nameless.

another question · 07-06-2013 03:59PM

Rothmans wrote: »

Depends entirely on the person. Whichever programme best suits your needs is the one you should go for. For yo it was KPMG, for me, it was PwC, for others it'll be Delloite, and then some unfortunate souls will get stuck with a certain other company which shall remain nameless.

Thanks for the reply. I am finding it difficult to find information on the programme. What is the training salary roughly? and do they pay all your courses/exams etc as part of the training contract.

Rothmans · 07-06-2013 04:42PM

another question wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I am finding it difficult to find information on the programme. What is the training salary roughly? and do they pay all your courses/exams etc as part of the training contract.

It depends on whether or not you have a Masters and whether you are going to do the ACA exams as well as the AITI, or just the AITI. I don't have a masters, and the starting salaries offered were as follows;

Deloitte; €21,500 ( ACA and AITI)
KPMG; €22,500 (ACA and AITI)
PwC; €23,500 (AITI only)

These salaries are subject to change with each intake.

I didn't apply to any of the others.
For information on the programmes, each of the the big four generally have some very helpful pdf brochures on the graduate programmes somewhere on their websites.

Hope that helps

another question · 07-06-2013 05:01PM

Rothmans wrote: »

It depends on whether or not you have a Masters and whether you are going to do the ACA exams as well as the AITI, or just the AITI. I don't have a masters, and the starting salaries offered were as follows;

Deloitte; €21,500 ( ACA and AITI)
KPMG; €22,500 (ACA and AITI)
PwC; €23,500 (AITI only)

These salaries are subject to change with each intake.

I didn't apply to any of the others.
For information on the programmes, each of the the big four generally have some very helpful pdf brochures on the graduate programmes somewhere on their websites.

Hope that helps

Thanks so much for that info, much appreciated. Better than I thought!... Pwc are closed for applications. Kpmg allowed me to register online 'under apply now' but when I downloaded and starting reading the brochure it seems applications closed for 2013. Generally do firms not take applications for this Sept at this stage?! I've probably missed the boat.

Rothmans · 07-06-2013 05:23PM

another question wrote: »

Thanks so much for that info, much appreciated. Better than I thought!... Pwc are closed for applications. Kpmg allowed me to register online 'under apply now' but when I downloaded and starting reading the brochure it seems applications closed for 2013. Generally do firms not take applications for this Sept at this stage?! I've probably missed the boat.

For this year, applications are well closed I'm afraid. Next milkround will open late September/early October for the 2014 intake. Good luck in your applications

.

01-08-2013 07:48PM

I heard through from a friend of a friend that the starting salary in deloitte for consulting is 27k. is this true or rubbish? anybody any insight?

Stabshauptmann · 05-08-2013 08:22PM

Rothmans wrote: »

For information on the programmes, each of the the big four generally have some very helpful pdf brochures on the graduate programmes somewhere on their websites.

Just a note on the KPMG brochure; it would appear that KPMG offer ACA grads more study leave than the other big 4. This is an inaccuracy. The tax trainees get more leave than the auditor & advisory trainees at CAP2, but the auditors and advisory trainees get more at FAE. While the two balance each other out, the brochure reports the higher allowance available at CAP 2 and at FAE, which is mis leading as ordinarily an individual trainee cannot avail of both higher allowances.

Stabshauptmann · 05-08-2013 08:25PM

Rothmans wrote: »

For this year, applications are well closed I'm afraid. Next milkround will open late September/early October for the 2014 intake. Good luck in your applications .

Typically applications are closed at this point - the "milk rounds", advisory departments however can hire all year round depending on their needs

SashaH · 14-08-2013 12:28PM

Slightly unrelated to the Thread but I have heard great things about BDO and GT. BDO in particular have a good social environment for the staff. Unfortunately I didnt get in

Stabshauptmann · 14-08-2013 09:04PM

Stabshauptmann wrote: »

Typically applications are closed at this point - the "milk rounds", advisory departments however can hire all year round depending on their needs

Apparently EY hiring for Autumn 2013 Grads!

https://ey.taleo.net/careersection/ukeycamdeg001/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=IRE000BC

Johnny_Fontane · 15-08-2013 03:20PM

Remember future ACA's, that its is incredibly important which area of big 4 you go into.

I specialise in recruiting for accountants and we see so many newly qualified big 4 ACA's trying to move from FS audit into Industry roles.

Whilst it can be done, its difficult.

Its not enough to just get in to the Big 4, you need to make sure that you get into the right area and know what to expect when you come out.

sodabread · 15-08-2013 06:14PM

Rothmans wrote: »

Depends entirely on the person. Whichever programme best suits your needs is the one you should go for. For yo it was KPMG, for me, it was PwC, for others it'll be Delloite, and then some unfortunate souls will get stuck with a certain other company which shall remain nameless.

I think I know which one you're talking about. What makes it less desirable than the others?

April O Neill · 16-08-2013 10:08AM

Stabshauptmann wrote: »

Apparently EY hiring for Autumn 2013 Grads!

https://ey.taleo.net/careersection/ukeycamdeg001/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=IRE000BC

How long after you finish college is it acceptable to apply for that? 4 years too much?

An Citeog · 16-08-2013 10:33AM

April O Neill wrote: »

How long after you finish college is it acceptable to apply for that? 4 years too much?

There are plenty of people in big 4 training contracts who studied something unrelated and worked for a few years after finishing college and then decided on a career change. There's no harm applying anyway.

shawki · 16-08-2013 10:45AM

Stabshauptmann wrote: »

Apparently EY hiring for Autumn 2013 Grads!

https://ey.taleo.net/careersection/ukeycamdeg001/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=IRE000BC

HC3 in English, Is that always a requirement?

Gael23 · 17-08-2013 10:45PM

Stabshauptmann wrote: »

Apparently EY hiring for Autumn 2013 Grads!

https://ey.taleo.net/careersection/ukeycamdeg001/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=IRE000BC

Those entry requirements will exclude a hell of alot of applicants. Not sure I would want EY anyway.

Froggy123 · 18-08-2013 02:07PM

Can anybody shed light on why people prefer the other three to Ey?? Is it related to study leave and time in lieu?

PunkFreud · 18-08-2013 06:26PM

Froggy123 wrote: »

Can anybody shed light on why people prefer the other three to Ey?? Is it related to study leave and time in lieu?

I believe that E&Y are the only firm of the Big 4 which does not give TOIL. This makes a big difference during busy seasons, when you're essentially working for nothing at times.

April O Neill · 19-08-2013 04:44PM

Stabshauptmann wrote: »

Apparently EY hiring for Autumn 2013 Grads!

https://ey.taleo.net/careersection/ukeycamdeg001/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=IRE000BC

Applied for this. Gave it my all. We shall see!

freema · 21-08-2013 02:23PM

Does anyone know if kpmg hiring within their restructuring and forensics department?

TokenWhite · 21-08-2013 05:11PM

Minimum of 425 points? Christ alive, even with what I would think is a relatively strong CV compared to most graduates (comfortable 1.1, couple of different jobs a few academic awards, including one national one) I think that's me out. Is it similar criteria for all the big accounting firms?

I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life when I sat my LC so was never really motivated to study for it, and only managed to get a very average 305 points in it. I thought my work experience and the other achievements would make up for it but if the applications without the minimum LC points are filtered out, am I as well not to bother even wasting my time applying? and rather just focus on smaller firms?

Shane732 · 21-08-2013 06:14PM

ryanf1 wrote: »

Those entry requirements will exclude a hell of alot of applicants. Not sure I would want EY anyway.

I think they've had problems with people being able to read auditing standards in reason years. The HC3 in English is probably an attempt to correct this!

Be warned, if you go into accountancy you will inevitably end up coming out with jokes like the one above.

Personally, if I was going Big 4 the only two I'd be interest in would be either PwC or KPMG. Albeit I'd be going in at manager level I'd have no interest in Do Little and touche (again I apologise for the stupid joke) or E&Y.

Also, the comment made earlier in the thread about picking your department is a very good point. Your chances of picking up a general industry role if you've spent 3 1/2 years working in a specialised R&D department are going to be very much reduced.

I'd also recommend graduates look at GT.

Gael23 · 21-08-2013 08:36PM

Shane732 wrote: »

I think they've had problems with people being able to read auditing standards in reason years. The HC3 in English is probably an attempt to correct this!

Its not just that, its the LC Points. I got 395 so would be dismissed off hand.

Chattastrophe! · 21-08-2013 09:13PM

ryanf1 wrote: »

Its not just that, its the LC Points. I got 395 so would be dismissed off hand.

As far as I remember, they have a section in the online application form where you can include any mitigating circumstances which may have affected your exam results.

By the way, all of the big firms have similar LC points minimum requirements, even if they don't mention them in the recruitment ads.

Gael23 · 21-08-2013 09:46PM

Tlachtga wrote: »

As far as I remember, they have a section in the online application form where you can include any mitigating circumstances which may have affected your exam results.

Would you say something like you made a poor subject choice there or more personal things? There are things I could say but I wouldn't want to come across negative in an application

bigmc23 · 21-08-2013 10:07PM

ryanf1 wrote: »

Would you say something like you made a poor subject choice there or more personal things? There are things I could say but I wouldn't want to come across negative in an application

poor subject choice isn't mitigating circumstances. Things like a bereavement etc are

TokenWhite · 21-08-2013 10:29PM

I wonder is " I didn't give a sh*t about my leaving cert" a mitigating circumstance? I hope so.

April O Neill · 22-08-2013 12:42PM

ryanf1 wrote: »

Those entry requirements will exclude a hell of alot of applicants. Not sure I would want EY anyway.

Aren't they pretty standard entry requirements?

April O Neill · 22-08-2013 02:26PM

TokenWhite wrote: »

Minimum of 425 points? Christ alive, even with what I would think is a relatively strong CV compared to most graduates (comfortable 1.1, couple of different jobs a few academic awards, including one national one) I think that's me out. Is it similar criteria for all the big accounting firms?

I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life when I sat my LC so was never really motivated to study for it, and only managed to get a very average 305 points in it. I thought my work experience and the other achievements would make up for it but if the applications without the minimum LC points are filtered out, am I as well not to bother even wasting my time applying? and rather just focus on smaller firms?

It does suck, but I think they are looking for consistency, to know you have the ability to focus for the professional exams. The LC is in ways more intensive than college exams.

However, search through the milkround thread. I gather from that that not all firms are that hung up on good LC results, or a perfect degree. Extracurricular activities are important too.

Gael23 · 22-08-2013 02:31PM

April O Neill wrote: »

It does suck, but I think they are looking for consistency, to know you have the ability to focus for the professional exams. The LC is in ways more intensive than college exams.

However, search through the milkround thread. I gather from that that not all firms are that hung up on good LC results, or a perfect degree. Extracurricular activities are important too.

I think there is alot more to me than my academic grades and I would like to have the chance to show that to a company. Some is due to personal reasons which mean that what I have achieved in academic terms is quite impressive for me personally.

Which of the Big Four offer the best graduate programme?

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