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Graduate Programme

  • 09-11-2020 4:13pm
    #1
    saleda
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 180 ✭✭


    Deloitte, Grant Thornton or EY

    Who would you choose to do your accountancy graduate programme with and why or are they all much the same? Thanks for any feedback :)


Comments

  • #2
    fishy_fishy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 452 ✭✭fishy_fishy


    saleda wrote: »
    Deloitte, Grant Thornton or EY

    Who would you choose to do your accountancy graduate programme with and why or are they all much the same? Thanks for any feedback :)

    Having qualified with Big 4... I'd actually lean to GT out of that list. Based on what I've heard from people who trained in GT, they seem to treat their people as well as any of the Big 4 (admittedly that's not saying much) and, whilst I don't know if it's standard, I know of someone in there who was promoted to management without having to do an extra year as a senior.

    All that aside, go with your gut. Where did you feel most comfortable and most wanted?


  • #3
    LaQuica
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19 ✭LaQuica


    I'd lean Big 4 but you'll probably end up with a pretty similar experience in all large firms. Congrats on getting three offers and, as mentioned above, just go with your gut because there's no bad options here.


  • #4
    Jim2007
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,436 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    saleda wrote: »
    Deloitte, Grant Thornton or EY

    Who would you choose to do your accountancy graduate programme with and why or are they all much the same? Thanks for any feedback :)


    Well it is over thirty years ago since I trained at Deloitte and I have worked with people from all of the big four over the years. From that I'd say that there is very little difference training experience at any of the big four these days.


    I trained back in the days where we were rotated between all the different departments and so we left with a well rounded experience. Many of the younger people I've met in recent years seem to a concentrated but limited range of experience and I'm not at all sure that that is in the best interests of the trainee.


    In my day it was a given that everyone one new how to:
    - Complete and file all the paperwork required by company law
    - Draft all the various resolutions etc... for company meetings
    - Had attended a couple of shareholder meets
    - Knew how to prepare and submit tax returns for companies, individuals trusts etc
    - Had some experience of representing a client before the Revenue Commissioners
    - Had experience of VAT and Income Revenue audits
    - Could produce accounts and supporting documentation from a shoe box of receipts
    - Could do a basic audit of a small or medium size company
    - And had experience to at least a junior audit manager on a couple of major clients


    These days it seems that newly qualified accountants out of the big four are experts in a very limited area. Consequently I'd say it is not a good place to get a well round experience if your looking to say go into practice or want to keep your options open for the future.


    On the other hand having the name of a big four on your resume will give you a foot in in many places you would not otherwise be considered...


  • #5
    DubCount
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,092 ✭✭✭DubCount


    I would go for a big 4 option. It plays better on your CV when you qualify. Also, you might get exposure to larger company audits such as banks and plc's etc. which might help if you want to work in those companies after you qualify. All 3 are good options, but GT would be my 3rd choice on that basis.


  • #6
    Responder XY
    Registered Users Posts: 220 ✭✭Responder XY


    Jim2007 wrote: »

    In my day it was a given that everyone one new how to:
    - Complete and file all the paperwork required by company law
    - Draft all the various resolutions etc... for company meetings
    - Had attended a couple of shareholder meets
    - Knew how to prepare and submit tax returns for companies, individuals trusts etc
    - Had some experience of representing a client before the Revenue Commissioners
    - Had experience of VAT and Income Revenue audits
    - Could produce accounts and supporting documentation from a shoe box of receipts
    - Could do a basic audit of a small or medium size company
    - And had experience to at least a junior audit manager on a couple of major clients


    These days it seems that newly qualified accountants out of the big four are experts in a very limited area. Consequently I'd say it is not a good place to get a well round experience if your looking to say go into practice or want to keep your options open for the future.

    Outside of the last two points, I'm not sure that what you consider to be well rounded experience is very valued by employers outside of a small accountancy practice. You'd struggle to use any of those tasks as a good example of why someone should give you a job once you are qualified. It's quite a niche area really and I've never heard of a single person working in finance who has ever had to do any of these.

    The tax tasks might be useful of course if tax is an area you want to get into, but you'd want to be full time in tax at a big 4 to be able to sell that on your CV once you've qualified.

    OP - you'll get a good training at any of those firms. I'd say big 4 will look better on your CV, but GTs are a good firm and you won't go to wrong training there.


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