Office Location Question? (Big Four)
Two main questions here. I'm currently an undergrad in the state of Texas, and am from an area near NYC. I'm likely going to major in accounting and go fro my MAC/CPA in a 5 year program at my university here in Texas.
The first thing I'm wondering is how difficult would it be to, after getting a full-time offer following a summer before my senior year internship with a Big Four, have that full time job start in a different office location from where I interned at? Would it be something I'd have to talk to their HR about? Are the Big Four generally pretty lenient with this sort of thing?
If that would be a challenge then should I try to intern in the office I'd like to end up working at after I complete my 5th year/MAC? Say for example I want to work back home in a city near or actually in NYC, would it be best to intern in one of those offices or would they give me room to work if I'd rather start full-time where I go to school in Texas (or vice-versa)?
And I guess one more thing is if none of the above work out (Hoping they aren't too much of a hassle to do), then how hard would it be to maybe transfer offices after a year? Any input is appreciated, thanks!
It would be easiest if you networked with your schools placement system and the Big 4 (don't discount non-Big 4 firms who have northeastern operations) firms. Discuss what you are thinking about doing and ask them if they know how you can contact some people in the north. Once you intern in a specific office and accept a FT offer there...you are usually expected to join that team and not another location.
Alright so here's a new issue: Say I am able to get an internship back up north near where I live through talking with my school's placement system and the firm I'm interested in working for... Will they still be able to offer me a FT position if I am going to be taking a 5th year back at school in Texas, so I wouldn't start the FT back home until that 5th year is completed?
And my school does something where the seniors in this program intern in the local city their final spring semester before graduating and so they'd typically receive a FT offer then. So If I did that too, I guess it wouldn't be a problem if I was offered FT by the branch up north the summer before?
I'm going to disagree and say that it is very possible to get an offer from one office, then start in another. I've known several people who have done that, but I've never known anyone who wanted to be in a different office but was made to stay in the one at which they interned. After you accept your offer, just ask the first office (where you interned) if you could get into the Texas office, and HR should be able to work it out.
If for some reason it didn't work out (theoretically the office you want to get into might have too many new hires already), you will definitely be able to transfer afterward. I haven't seen anyone do it after one year (probably because people who would want that just got to start in the office of their choice), but I've seen lots of people do it after two.
As for your second question, yes you can get an internship your junior year, then start after your fifth year of college. If you don't blow it at your internship, they'll work with you. Big 4 firms are very flexible.
It is possible - if you show potential and stand up for yourself most big 4 firms will bend over backwards to keep you happy. You need to realize though that when you are assigned (at least at my big 4) to 'NYC' you are really assigned to 'NYC Metro Area' meaning you could wind up in Brooklyn, NYC, Greenwich, etc.
I'm from CT, near Greenwich anyway. One more thing though, if I want to try for the TS route/consulting if I can, wouldn't I likely be in the NYC office? I think I'm going to try and intern in the NYC or Gwich office after junior year to get an offer there, otherwise I'll do my best to be moved for a FT to NYC after the 5th year/MAcc.
Not necessarily - a lot of big cities have strong T/S & consulting arms. Depends what industry you are interested in. If you want to be in energy, obv. you'd rather be in Houston.
Another factor is your school's credibility. If the Texas school you're at is UT Austin, then you have a much better chance of picking your geographic choice. At my school I was lucky to get a big 4 job period, so there wasn't much attempt to negotiate location.
Hi - I am wondering how hard is it to switch office locations in a Staff level in Big4? I will be working in one of the NY Metro area office for a Big4 company (but not in NYC). Due to personal reason, I really wanted to move to NYC and work in the NYC office. Is it very difficult to move in the first 3 years of working at Big4?
It is going to be difficult for you to land an offer in NYC from TX. Big4 is structured by partners who work in a separate capacity(most of the time). In all honesty, you shouldn't have gone to TX if you were planning to work in NYC. What can you do?
Here are some things: 1. Get your MACC in NYC if that is where you want to work. 2. Apply to internships in NYC through the company website. State in your resume that your geographical location preference is NYC. They're going to be hesitant to give you an interview. I wouldn't be surprised if most don't even grant you an interview. So don't get your hopes up. 3. Get an internship your junior year. Then talk to HR to see if you can interview for an internship in NYC for your senior year summer. Tell them, you want to work/move to NY after you graduate. (This will be your most effective choice).
Hi StrongMan - thank you for your quick reply! I should have made my post more clear. I've accepted an offer with a Big4 in the NY Metro area office (the office is about 30 miles away from NYC). My concern is whether it would be difficult to transfer into NYC office maybe after 1 or 2 years into the job as I would still be in the staff level. Thank you for your advice!
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