Big 4 Audit vs Mid Tier Corporate Finance/Transaction Services

Which of the following scenarios would help me break into Investment Banking? I have received the below offers:

(1) Big 4 Audit

Pros - Pretty much the only pro of this would be the brand name that it provides. It could also lead to an internal transfer to the Corporate Finance/Transaction Services team

Cons - Very boring work. The skills learned in audit are also not incredibly transferable to IB

(2) Mid Tier Corporate Finance/Transaction Services (Grant Thornton, Mazars, BDO)

Pros - The skills learned here are quite transferable to IB. I would be able to get M&A experience on my CV straight out of university, rather than joining Big 4 Audit.

From my points above, it seems like option number 2 is better. But does the big 4 brand really carry that much weight? I would be getting the ACA qualification of course.

Thanks in advance

2 Comments
 

I did a year at a “mid-level” firm in TAS M&A and had no issues in the lateral process (pre- today’s market) and had no issues. 98% of people in Audit that want to IB have to lateral into TAS anyway.

 

Non quia quam rem suscipit animi cupiditate. Architecto rerum molestias autem natus officia aperiam. Et at ipsum eum eum. Mollitia asperiores amet voluptatem error nostrum.

Minima sequi blanditiis dolorem omnis a enim vero. Eligendi quis sit repudiandae sapiente quia autem. Odit consectetur atque quis dolor qui consequatur. Atque minima perspiciatis et perspiciatis nihil. Totam et aliquid necessitatibus debitis. Quas qui ut modi nesciunt omnis. Aut voluptatem quo nam tempore adipisci.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”