[Fr0nt0ffice]

I am very interested in moving into advisory for big4 accounting. From what I have read, this provides the best platform for making the switch into finance careers, as you get more direct client facing experience and you technically are working on deals.

I have read making the jump from mid-size public audit to Big 4 public audit is relatively easy, but I imagine getting into advisory is much harder. If big 4 advisory was my ultimate goal, would it be easier to move into the advisory/consulting section of my current firm, and then apply directly for big 4 advisory? Or would I have a better shot at moving into big4 audit, and then trying to switch to advisory once I have my foot in the door of the company?

[mskcle]

Based on my recruiting experiences, I think there are multiple variables that could factor into the situation. A major obstacle that is simply out of your control would be the hiring needs of the big 4 firms in your local area. I assume the ability to go from mid-size public audit to big 4 audit is easier because the turnover is higher and they are in more demand. However, if they are not in demand in your local area it may be more difficult. In my situation, I went from mid-size public tax to big 4 advisory, but I am still a college student. This was rather stressful and difficult as I ran into the previously mentioned situation where the big 4 were simply maxed out on resources in my city at the firm I wanted to join. Luckily for me, I was able to network hard and have a relationship with partners/directors in the Advisory practice who put in good words. I think having prior experience could help make your resume stick out, but I believe the key to the recruiting system is strong networking.

[Fr0nt0ffice]

I live in NYC so, demand for auditors is usually pretty high I imagine, they tend to hire several auditors every year. I don't think there would be a shortage for that in particular here in New York. I do have a few contacts in one of the big 4 firms, including a manager who I had for a professor, but I'm not exactly if he would still be willing to help me out.

So in your case, you went from a Mid-size tax position to an advisory position in big 4, huh? And you give the credit to networking. This is pretty impressive actually; from what I have heard, making the move from tax to advisory is much more difficult than from audit to advisory. But then again, you applied as a “student” than as an “experienced hire”, and the student route with a high GPA is much easier than trying to make the lateral move once you have started full time work, from what I hear.

Other than the people I know, post graduation, how would you recommend I go about networking with big4 employees? I don't necessarily have access to career fairs anymore and networking events at my school anymore, so I don't have the chance to meet new people (and I didn't take advantage enough during undergrad until the very end).

[letsrun4it]

If you want a Finance career don't worry about the “Big4”. Go to work at a big bank like Morgan Stanley. I did my time in Wealth Management….you better be a people person. It doesn't matter what role you play, if you can't woo people you'll hit your ceiling the day you get there.

BEC: 85
REG: 74, 78
AUD: 86
FAR: October?

[Fr0nt0ffice]

letsrun4it: If I could snap my fingers and get a job at a big bank, I wouldn't be making this topic lol. Part of the reason I want to get in Big 4 advisory, is that big banks like Morgan Stanley rarely consider somebody with an accounting background unless they are upper tier elite (Big 4), and they are coming from the advisory side of the firm, so they have some kind of experience with clients (again, with F500 clients you would mainly work with in a Big 4 role, smaller/midsize doesn't get a whole lot of high profile, publicly listed clients).

I came from a state school (strike 1), I didn't have an outstanding academic performance while there (strike 2), I'm not a trust fund baby (strike 3) so I can't shell out $200k for MBA that would actually get me a job, and I'm 29 (strike 4), in which case I might as well have one foot in the grave in the eyes of high finance professionals (luckily for me, I don't really look my age, and I try to tailor my resume to not give it away as well haha).

Wealth Management is cool and all, but it's one of the easier areas of finance to get into for a reason. There is high turnover, the position is basically sales, and most people fail because if you don't have a large network of high worth individuals before you even start (ie: be a trust fund baby), you will most likely not go and “close” random millionaires into letting you direct their retirement fund.

To get the top, worthwhile, upper-tier level, finance positions (Investment Banking, Mergers and Acquisitions, Hedge Funds, Private Equity, etc.), you typically need to go to a top private school, be an absolute superstar at your non-target school, or be an absolute superstar in a transferable field (hard sciences, math, other highly quantitative STEM subjects, or top top top accounting professional, ie: Deloitte Advisory)

So since I will probably not obtain a STEM degree or get a Wharton MBA in the near future, my best shot at getting into a top finance position will be through the accounting route, however slim. And even if I fail in my goal, I'm too old, not desirable enough a candidate, and I'm doomed to earn average salary for the rest of my life, never tasting those ridiculous bonuses that some of these Wall Street executives get, at least I will have Big4 accounting on my resume, and I can still have a very good, decent paying, cozy career in accounting. But if I jump straight into finance and grab whatever crap position cold calling, with zero upward mobility, I'm stuck doing unstable, low level finance work, with all of the added stress, and none of the prestige and millionaire salaries that is reserved for the top dogs in the industry.

[Author]

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