Big 4 Opportunities
What are the exit opportunities of some one working for one of the Big 4 accounting firms?
Mainly geared at someone who wants to leave after working there 2-5 years.
Is it possible and/or likely to get into consulting at a BCG or McKinsey type?
Are their and opportunities to get into investment banking?
If you're good, a top b-school, and then potentialy networking from there to land into bcg/mckinsey. Other than that, I think a straight up lateral would be doable but even more difficult than the first scenario. But if you work in PE-focused group, you could exit to buy-side as well. I've seen it happen from a 'top' big 4 consulting practice.
Deloitte actually has a middle market investing banking group. I doubt it could ever get you into a bulge bracket bank, but it might set you up for something in the middle market.
It is tough to generalize though. It really depends what you're doing because the Big 4 are large companies and your exit opportunities will vary based upon what your skills and experiences are.
I know a few people from the valuation group that made it to the buy side. It's rare, but it happens. I also know a few that joined institutions similar to the IMF/World Bank in their international development / finance groups. Some people move within the Big 4 or take a promotion and hop to a firm like Grant Thorton. Not too many people go back for their MBA, but that is another potential exit.
Unless you get into Deloitte Consulting doing strategy consulting, I'm going to say no that it is not possible to go directly to an MBB-type firm.
Even going from Deloitte S&O to MBB is very very unlikely, let alone big4 audit (which I agree is virtually impossible).
I think its possible depending on what service/group you are in currently with the Big 4. All fo them have some form of Corporate Finance division thats their version of a MM IB, and they all have Advisory services ( I know PwC and EY is rapidly expanding their consulting practices). So if you are in ether one of those groups, you can really leverage that into a some good opportunities. If not, I would definitely try and transfer in. I've heard that they actually accept Audit transfers into their corporate finance groups, so that could be your in for IB, then again, it would probably require staying their longer to establish a foundation, so you might just want to try and get your MBA.
I know of a few PwC/EY advisory guys that now work at McKinsey and Bain, so its possible
when you are interviewing for big 4, recruiter told me not to say that you are intending to stay 3-4 years, I assume 5 isn't good enough for them either.
uhhhh no shit. I wouldnt tell them you plan on leaving ever.
They know most people are doing a quick little rip and dip, but telling them that in an interview is probably the worst thing you could say.
I wrote not to say it in case he is being asked. Obviously unless you are a moron like a person on your picture appears to be, you should never throw such a thing in an interview.
Big 4 -> M7 B-School -> MBB
Bang. Done.
sounds good in theory
^^ Very true. Audit --> Avdisory --> B-School / another job
Enjoy audit while you are in there. You can really take advantage of the situtation and get some good laughs along the way.
Big four Exit Opps (Originally Posted: 07/16/2008)
What are the Exit Opps for big four audit/TAS? Would it be possible to get into Equity Research or Investment Management?
i am also interested
From Audit, most leave for F500 compliance and controller type positions. This could lead to CFO but it is complete back office stuff and will never compare to high finance. It is possible to go from audit to F500 corporate finance. From TAS, possible exits include Corporate development, banking, and possibly small AUM PE if you network your ass off and are a superstar.
Right on mark.
So equity research or IM isnt really much of an option?
both are possible. I'm living proof. (beefcake! BEEFCAKE!)
AUM - assets under management
If you go Big 4 and rise quickly, you can get into many of the top MBA programs. Do that, and you can pick where you want to end up- IBD, F500 CorpDev, whatever you want. Not saying most people are going to do that (most stick in accounting, or they move to controlling/internal audit at a F500), but I've met many MM senior bankers who started early on in Big 4.
Can we talk a bit about the Big 4 exit opps that aren't 100% accounting? (Originally Posted: 08/03/2013)
I know these things have been discussed, and I have a few threads bookmarked, but I'm sort of looking for specifics. I've been reading a lot of conflicting info on this topic. What type of roles can a Big 4 auditor exit into that aren't your typical accounting roles?
For example, many people say "corporate finance" is an exit opp, but that is something that can have many definitions, one of which would be pretty much all accounting. Same goes for "FP&A." I remember reading that a senior associate->senior financial analyst jump to corp. fin. is possible for someone wanting to take more of a finance role. I'd like to consider something that is somewhat accounting based, but not just "senior accountant" or "accounting manager" at an F500, that can still give a possible path to a VP of Finance type of role.
Side note, what about exiting to the advisory side within a Big 4? I don't really mean FDD or TS, but more like management consulting that some of the larger offices may have large divisions of. I know when I went to my Big 4 SLP in a major metro, many of the kids were interviewing for "management consulting" within the firm.
I know this post is a little disorganized and rushed looking, but I'm just getting a little confused on a subject I thought I was pretty certain on lately.
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