Difference in Big 4 and small audit firm - Part 2

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Milo-Dino

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I understand that the peak period of audit is about Nov-Jun. How about the non-peak period in big4?
Is it as busy?
What do u all do other in non-peak period?
for some... peak is throughout the year since companies have different financial year ends..

but most of them will have about 1-1.5 month period whereby trainings are conducted and a chance for them to clear Annual leave.
 

Deathskull88

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Hi,

Would like some advice on a possible career switch.

Have completed my ACCA in the Dec 2011 sitting, but am currently in a totally different industry, unrelated to accounting/finance, for 4-5years now. Thus, regrettably, I have no experience at all in the acc./finance field.

Am pondering a switch as my current career is stagnant, progression is slow and is not very good, pay-wise.

Would like ur opinions on where should I start, if I have no desire to do external auditing?

Thank you!!

Internal audit in the Big 4. It will be a substantial pay cut but after 2/3 yrs of exp, you can move out and command a slight premium with your IA exp.

Commercial Accounting.


Thanks for your replies, appreciate it!

Is Internal Audit vastly different from External Audit in terms of workload and working hours? And what might the starting pay for a 'fresh grad' be like?

If I were to venture into commercial accounting, what kind of positions should I start with?
I looked through some of the job portals for accounting/finance positions and almost all require some requisite experience in the field and associated software and tools.
Looks daunting, to say the least.

Sorry for the noob questions and thanks for reading!
 

Raider04

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Thanks for your replies, appreciate it!

Is Internal Audit vastly different from External Audit in terms of workload and working hours? And what might the starting pay for a 'fresh grad' be like?

If I were to venture into commercial accounting, what kind of positions should I start with?
I looked through some of the job portals for accounting/finance positions and almost all require some requisite experience in the field and associated software and tools.
Looks daunting, to say the least.

Sorry for the noob questions and thanks for reading!

Accounts Executive.
A lot of things are learnt on the job so if someone give you the chance, you should grab it.
 

Milo-Dino

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Accounts Executive.
A lot of things are learnt on the job so if someone give you the chance, you should grab it.

That's right.

Alternatively if he is lucky, he can try those management programs offered by some firms. But he got 4/5 years of work exp, so some companies may not want
 

friendlyguy

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Accounts Executive.
A lot of things are learnt on the job so if someone give you the chance, you should grab it.

I had 9 months as auditor in mid tier audit firm
9 months as a controller/management accountant
3 months as accounting supervisor.

Do you think will I start as A1,A2,or S1 in big4 if I apply as an auditor?
A lot of things learnt on job from process to anything, I agree but the learning curve should 1 year be enough.

Milo, what is the management programme u recommend? why is it useful? I am now in european mnc don't see any future will be good as accounting supervisor. I got 5 subordinates under me. If I cannot manage big 4 and wanna apply again for next year, what will be good choice for me? :

1.Stay in current company as supervisor
2.join as internal auditor in a 50 strait times company
3.join external audit in mid tier again before apply big 4

thanks for input
 

Deathskull88

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Accounts Executive.
A lot of things are learnt on the job so if someone give you the chance, you should grab it.

That's right.

Alternatively if he is lucky, he can try those management programs offered by some firms. But he got 4/5 years of work exp, so some companies may not want


Thanks guys, for ur input!

Ok, will look for any opportunites in that position. What is the career progression like? What other related fields(eg. finance) can I go to with experience in this position?

Haha, heard of these management programs. Quite competitive, and quite frankly I dun think I have the ideal characteristics for the job. Thanks for mentioning it, tho

Again, apologies for the noob questions :)
 

Raider04

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Thanks guys, for ur input!

Ok, will look for any opportunites in that position. What is the career progression like? What other related fields(eg. finance) can I go to with experience in this position?

Haha, heard of these management programs. Quite competitive, and quite frankly I dun think I have the ideal characteristics for the job. Thanks for mentioning it, tho

Again, apologies for the noob questions :)

Financial accounting & management accounting are the areas that i can think of.
 

milkcup

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do you need to declare on existing shareholding of stocks to the HR dept or HR dept will ask you fill up forms to declare accordingly???
 

tiffany123

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I'm currently a student from Murdoch Uni in SMA, studying BSC in Accounting? Anyone know to apply into thre big 4? hear that is something call the odd batch? and do they hire graduates not from the local.
 

5ohn_d0e

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Cheers

Hey guys

Been a big time lurker for a couple of months and read through the whole of the old thread last year.

This is an awesome thread, gave me a direction and plans for after I complete my ACCA this December.

Thanks to the main guys who keep on posting here, even though they don't really need too.
 

DeadPeople

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I had 9 months as auditor in mid tier audit firm
9 months as a controller/management accountant
3 months as accounting supervisor.

Do you think will I start as A1,A2,or S1 in big4 if I apply as an auditor?
A lot of things learnt on job from process to anything, I agree but the learning curve should 1 year be enough.

thanks for input

Fresh graduate in audit aka junior year 1.
 

Raider04

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do you need to declare on existing shareholding of stocks to the HR dept or HR dept will ask you fill up forms to declare accordingly???

HR will ask you to fill up the forms and declared your holdings. If they deemed that you are not independent, you are required to dispose it off.
 

friendlyguy

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Fresh graduate in audit aka junior year 1.

wow, thanks for input. My salary would decrease so much then.. Btw, I had interview in P*C for senior associate position in advisory. It has been already 2 weeks but no news.
 

pencil2012

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wow, thanks for input. My salary would decrease so much then.. Btw, I had interview in P*C for senior associate position in advisory. It has been already 2 weeks but no news.

Sorry, this reply is not exactly targeted at you...per se....but I am just curious as to why people in the forum censor the Big4 names? Why not just say PWC or KPMG, EY? Saying its P*C(for example) doesnt make it less obvious that one is referring to pwc.
 

milkcup

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Do we have to specifically tailor a business suit for meetings with clients/seminars??? i do not have leh.. :s11:
 

Petrelli_83

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:s11:
I'm currently a student from Murdoch Uni in SMA, studying BSC in Accounting? Anyone know to apply into thre big 4? hear that is something call the odd batch? and do they hire graduates not from the local.

The odds are very low. They rarely take in DL grads. I know PwC has a foreign university intake requirement (to "breed diversity"). You might want to try your luck at PwC. They consider DL degrees to meet this requirement, but you would be competing against people with connections / special talents / prize winners etc.
 
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