BIG-4/CPA in Asset Management Needs To Jump Shit

Before I decided to make this post, I did my homework on this site and found a few posts about the topic of a Big4 CPA looking for exit op advice. However, the posts were just too sugar coated and simply were not getting to the core issue that I am having. So I decided to start a new topic regarding this issue, but state the facts as I see it, as I have been in the situation for the past 4 years.

I am working at a Big4 - in audit, specifically with Asset Management clients in SF - for the past 4 years and am currently a senior associate with the CPA. At the time when I graduated college it seemed to be the best option, as I was recruited straight out of undergrad. I always wanted to work in finance, and thought this could be a good start, specially when no major financial firms were recruiting from my college. 4 years later, I have obtained the CPA and have learned a tremendous amount regarding the investment management industry having worked with some of the biggest names in the game, and of course know financial reporting and financial analysis very well.

However, this is simply not the career choice I want to make because I feel like I'm constantly swimming upstream. By nature I am a forward thinker, and enjoy projects and work that in some shape or form leads to a future decision, and I simply can not stand the world of audit anymore. I know I need a top MBA to get into consulting or IB, so while studding for gmat, I have researched FP&A, and corporate finance, business dev, and senior analyst positions as well but came short as to what the career path with these are and how I'm suitable for them with my resume. In my situation, how can I leverage the skills and resume I have so far to get into a more forward thinking role in finance?

WHat are the options out there, no matter how hard they are to get into, or how much they might be a dead end. People tend to say there are so many doors that will open with BIG4 experience but I simply don't see the actual paths there are in order to start knocking on the doors. All I know is that this current career needs to end, and would greatly appreciate any advice.

 

I am sure someone with more knowledge and experience will come along soon with an answer. Until than I was wondering, since you have a good deal of experience with asset management clients, have any of them tried to poach you from your current position or have you been contacted by any recruiters/headhunters? I was under the impression that after being in the big 4 for (sometimes for as little as a year) people will start getting these kinds of offers.

 
Best Response

Do you have a good LinkedIn profile? I am currently at Big4 audit and have been for less than 3 months and already am having headhunters reaching out to me.

Many people will probably disagree with me on this, but I would say get the CFA Level 1 done as soon as possible. This will help show that you actually have an interest in finance rather than just accountancy.

I understand that its a bit dodgy to start fishing around for offers with the clients you are currently working on, but if there is someone within those companies you are reasonably close to (ideally a client you've worked on for a few years), it can't hurt to gently suggest that you are interested in a job in asset management, they might know someone who can help. The good thing about working in Audit is you spend a lot of time talking to HR people!

You're trying to get someone to answer for you what your goals are, then tell you how to get there. That's not going to happen. You're the only one who can choose your goals. What do you want to be doing? FP&A? Corp dev? PE? VC? Marketing? HR? Anything is achievable from the Big 4 (with varying levels of effort and luck), but you have to tell people where you want to go before they can tell you how to get there.

 

My goals are to leverage my skills and experience from spending 4 years at a Big4 to transition into a such roles as Corporate Finance, FP&A that isn't just accounting and reporting but includes working on analysis for stratigic decisions, or asset management analyst. I am fully aware that even having shot for management consulting or IB would need an MBA from a top school, so those career paths would be on hold pending an MBA. But I just wanted to see if the career paths I stated are logical to pursue and are potential exit ops post 4 years in Big4, and if anyone had insight on them.

 

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