Interested in transitioning from public accounting into finance

Hi all--

I'm about two years in at a Big 4 public accounting firm, and I'm hoping to make a transition on over into finance. I'm a licensed CPA, and since having been exposed to the private equity industry, I have began to look into ways in which I can get involved with m&a transactions at the deal level. I've considered the FDD group within my firm (and at other Big 4 firms), but I'm also wondering if it makes more sense to try to make a lateral (and perhaps a more direct) switch and start as an analyst at a bank. I've started taking advantage of various free financial modeling tutorials, but I'm also looking to subscribe to one of the paid self-study courses. Based on the research that I have done, Wall Street Prep certainly stands out as a quality choice. I'm also thinking that the WSP Certification would be advantageous (from a resume perspective), even if only to show that I am interested and dedicated.

I welcome any advice/comments. Thanks.

3 Comments
 
Best Response

If your goal is private equity, transferring as an analyst at a known BB bank would be better than transferring to your firms M&A group. However, what I did was work on my CFA after I qualified as a CA, CPA, while at my firms M&A group. This gave me additional time to study for my CFA, and transfer as an associate (saves you the grueling analyst hours). You need to pitch yourself as a banker rather than an accountant (I did this by having a finance undergrad and CFA experience). The modelling may not be enough for some banks, and a big 4 M&A group may be your only opportunity.

 

Aut eos blanditiis libero totam esse. Cupiditate quidem quia veniam ut illum. Optio impedit facilis quam iste reprehenderit qui quaerat. Rerum optio quod provident sit ut voluptatum doloremque quis. Minima et optio voluptatem qui.

Quidem voluptatem consequatur et sint quam adipisci. Ut reiciendis aut necessitatibus alias in.

Aut ut iusto nihil. Et voluptatem fuga magnam vel.

Ipsa velit perspiciatis rerum molestiae molestiae. Laudantium et id quidem facilis voluptatum sequi. Temporibus ea sit animi veritatis repellendus consequatur.

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 12 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 (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”