Big Four Accounting Firms: internship offer comparisons

I currently have internship offers from each of the Big Four accounting firms. I have narrowed my possible choices down to two firms, but I am having trouble differentiating between the two. Aside from the obvious factors such as people and clients, are there any factors that I should be considering that I'm missing?

FYI, both firms have comparable people and clients in the office I would be working at. That's why I'm having trouble making a decision. Pay is comparable as well, but it's a non-issue since it's only an internship, which I view as more of a long-term career decision.

 

What role/group are you in? That can make a big difference. I.e Deloitte Consulting. Also comes down to what are you most interested in? Personally I would go to the place where I like the people and culture most as they are all pretty similar. I'm surprised you didn't have to accept yet, most of those programs start in a month... or is this for winter?

 

I'm doing audit. Yeah...probably should have said that, but anyways...

The internship is for spring 2011. I have about 3 weeks to accept/reject the offers. I have already eliminated KPMG and Deloitte, but I really can't decide between EY and PwC. Everyone I have talked to has said there is no way to go wrong with either firm, which is definitely true, but I need some sort of criterion upon which to base my decision.

 

Well, all 4 recruit heavily at my UG and my personal preference is PwC, just based on the relations I've had with the firm. Do you have any friends who have worked/work at either of the above you could talk to about their experiences? If you shoot me a PM, I can share a few personal experiences I've had. I'm also curious about your school as I feel we may go to the same one.

 

Nope, we don't go to the same school. I'm at the University of Texas, and after looking at your profile, I see you go to the University of Ilinois. Both good business schools, though...

The reputation of each firm varies from city to city, so I'm not really putting too much stock into what people say about each firm (which is why I didn't mention any specific names in my first post). In Houston, EY and PwC are far and away the top firms in terms of clients.

I know people from both firms too, which makes the decision even tougher.

 

Ah ok. I thought maybe because our career system is the same name/spelling as your user name. Anyway, do you know what industry group you're in or do you get placed after? I would just pick the place you get the best vibe. Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great experience.

 
symplicity:
Audit. I'm pretty interested in energy, and both firms have some great energy clients.

And we use the same career system. That's where I got the idea lol.

Ah ok, yeah energy is what I meant. I would just go to the place with the best fit and where you'd prefer to work full time. Other than that, it doesn't really matter imo.

 
Best Response

As an intern, it's a bit unlikely that you'll find out which client group you'll be assigned to during your internship (i.e. Financial Services, Small Businesses, etc.) until work actually starts. However, if you happen to have an inside track and a strong preference (i.e. for Insurance clients), it probably wouldn't hurt to ask or hint your preference.

The 4 firms have little to differentiate between them in terms of "hard" things like salary, size of company, client diversity, etc. but if by "Spring 2011" you mean "I start work in January", then the most important thing will be the people that you work with. This is especially true if you end up working out of a client's office for the majority of the audit season rather that at E&Y/PwC -- you'll be stuck in a small room with only a handful of others. If those people don't have a sense of humour, you'll have a rough go at it.

 

I think most people in my class who recruited in Houston went with PwC, but it really comes down to what your future goals are. If you're hoping to transition into a more finance-related area (TAS for EY, TS for PwC) to possibly position yourself for investment banking, EY has the bigger/better advisory program.

However, like many have said, it all comes down to the people. I went against the grain and did not pick the firm that seemingly everyone else in my class chose because I liked the people (particularly the partners) at another firm a lot better. The experience and brand name are too similar to make a difference.

 

Having audited at big 4 for 2 years, you don't need to consider anything else besides clients and the people.

The people part is important. Not only whether you like the people, based on the small sample size you have seen/met, but also if you happen to have some good contacts (managers) who you could try ask to put you on desirable clients. You are going to be working long hours, and this will be so much easier if you like the overall culture of the place and can get on some of the better clients where you can learn the most.

It makes no difference on your resume which of the big 4 you put down. Choose the place that feels right when you visit the office and based on the encounters with the people you have met, and to a lesser degree, choose the place that has some clients you really want to work on

 

At ex enim consequatur et voluptatem quas sed. Incidunt sunt dignissimos illo rerum sunt. Iure ullam illo vel ipsam ut et qui.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”