I did it. Multiple years in fact. I don't think it hurts. Although I don't think it really buys you a lot of credit in the way you are hoping. However, I do think that it helps you develop critical thinking skills and especially helps in developing presentation skills that can help in an interview - telling your story / confidence.

Oddly enough, I did get a cold call from a hedge fund simply because they got my name from some list with the national finalists. However, it was a mid/back office position, so they were interested in my tax / accounting background.

 
Best Response

I'd say there's 2 scenarios:

  1. You have several case studies on your resume and you came in 1st in all of them, in which case while this adds to that consistent drive to excel; it doesn't really add anything since you already have a few strong performances on your resume. In that case, it can only harm you since its not additive and someone may look at it as unfocused or focused in the wrong field. Bankers definitely look down on accountants vs. their own professional, so its certainly not desirable to in anyway betray that its a career track you're considering alongside banking (even if its not the case).

  2. You have no other case study experience on your resume, in which case this is the only one, which begs the question: why are you so interested in accounting/tax? Again it harms you.

I'd probably advise against it for the above mentioned reasons. I don't know if my answer would be different if it was more generalist accounting which you wouldn't inspire as much of a "who the fuck does a tax competition" response.

 
Marcus_Halberstram:

I'd say there's 2 scenarios:

1. You have several case studies on your resume and you came in 1st in all of them, in which case while this adds to that consistent drive to excel; it doesn't really add anything since you already have a few strong performances on your resume. In that case, it can only harm you since its not additive and someone may look at it as unfocused or focused in the wrong field. Bankers definitely look down on accountants vs. their own professional, so its certainly not desirable to in anyway betray that its a career track you're considering alongside banking (even if its not the case).

2. You have no other case study experience on your resume, in which case this is the only one, which begs the question: why are you so interested in accounting/tax? Again it harms you.

I'd probably advise against it for the above mentioned reasons. I don't know if my answer would be different if it was more generalist accounting which you wouldn't inspire as much of a "who the fuck does a tax competition" response.

Can anyone else chime in? I read somewhere on WSO that bankers really respect the Big 4 and Big 4 sophomore year internship can really help you. I personally know 3~4 people who have done a Big 4 internship sophomore year/ junior year, and received multiple i-banking SA offers the following year.

 

I didn't suggest that having anything to do with an accounting firm results in getting blackballed from banking for life. My answer is within the context of OP's question.

If you know multiple people that have already done it, why are you asking the question?

I don't know about "really respect the big 4". They are reputable firms and interning at a big 4 vs. not interning at all/interning at a lesser firm, interning at a big 4 is obviously better. I'd probably make it analogous to a sophomore internship in BigLaw.... particularly as a sophomore when most kids have either no internship, a no name internship, or PWM. Similarly, I know a handful of kids that did that got an internship in BigLaw sophomore year and ended up in banking as well.

 

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