5th Year Summer Analyst Recruiting or Big 4 Valuations?

I have an offer from a Big 4 valuation group. However I really want to do IB. I am about to complete my 5th year in a masters in accounting program and am thinking about turning down the Big 4 offer in order to recruit for a SA spot.

I was never able to recruit with investment banks since I was banned from OCR - due to accounting internships I had already committed to.

Will recruiters see me as damaged goods since I will be graduating before my internship and also since I will be 2 years older than most other candidates?

My info: I am graduating in May 2013 with a masters in accounting, I will have my CPA, a 3.75 GPA, and I go to a large school in TX.

 

Turning down a guaranteed full time offer for a well-respected programme at a well-respected company which often feeds directly into IBD for a chance at an internship with absolutely no guarantee of any kind of job at the end of it doesn't sound like a good decision to me.

What is to stop you joining the valuations group, killing it there for 1-2 years then lateralling over to IBD either as a 2nd/3rd year analyst or even 1st year Associate?

Best Response
Asatar:
What is to stop you joining the valuations group, killing it there for 1-2 years then lateralling over to IBD either as a 2nd/3rd year analyst or even 1st year Associate?

This, in case you wanted a second opinion. You'll get a decent salary, tons of networking opportunities, and a chance at having something like work-life balance. 2 years down the road, make the jump to IBD or to the buyside, CPAs are in high demand

 
jpc100:
Asatar:
What is to stop you joining the valuations group, killing it there for 1-2 years then lateralling over to IBD either as a 2nd/3rd year analyst or even 1st year Associate?

CPAs are in high demand

laughed my ass off

 

Interviewed for a lateral spot in the restructuring group at 2 different big4's recently. None of the junior people really seemed excited about being there. I assume its the same (but most likely worse) in their valuation group.

You will have to network like a mofo to get out.

Array
 

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