Commercial Banking vs. Big 4 Audit
All else held equal, between commercial banking and big 4 audit - which one has better exit ops and overall career development possibilities?
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Depends on long term career path you want and what brand you’d have at a commercial bank. I’d honestly say big 4 if it’s a small regional bank. The work sucks but the brand is respected and you’re way more likely to be able to lateral from PwC or Deloitte to a decent front office job than you are from CIT or BBVA or First Horizon or Webster Bank or Huntington etc
incoming huntington SA
commercial banking audit sucks
Audit sucks but having no brand from a no name commercial bank in random town USA sucks more
True, at least big4 audit has the brand
Commercial banking is a better career path and it's not even close.
1) Compensation: You will reach 6-digits in commercial banking in ~3ish and starting salary is ~$20k-$30k more than Big 4 Audit. You won't reach 6 digits until manager at a Big 4.
2) Work hours: You will have a more manageable 9-5 schedule in commercial banking and Big 4 audit can get very busy during "Busy Season" which is quarterly.
3) Designation: If you want a "designation", use the hours you would have used to study for the CFE in audit to study for the CFA for commercial banking. CFA > CPA in regards to receiving a certification
4) Exit opportunities: With commercial banking you can enter various higher paid finance roles (Credit roles, corporate banking, etc.) as opposed to accounting where roles tend to mainly revolve around accounting
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