Need Career Advice on Certifications and progress from Big4 to MBB
Hello everyone,
I am a recent grad from college with a double major in finance and accounting, and will be starting my full time job at the big 4 in Risk Advisory.
However, after a lot of consideration and talk with friends and family, I have changed my long term career goals and would like to pursue something like Business Strategy/Corporate Strategy or in the management consulting area. Best case scenario, I would love to work for MBB eventually.
My question is, should I forget the CPA if I am set on consulting as a future goal? I'd rather focus my time on working for 2-5 years and getting my GMAT now instead to focus on getting into a top 10 MBA program.
I have no interest in working in accounting later on in life, as I'd much rather pursue a career in consulting. However, because my whole life has been dedicated to a career in accounting, I'm a noob in terms of career paths in consulting.
What are the general consulting career paths that people follow, like after MBB? I've heard people talk about moving to a finance job, would you be required to take the CFA in that case? I've also heard some people move to internal consulting jobs.
Any and all advice are welcome.
Thanks!
If your goal is to land a strategy consulting or internal corporate strategy gig, then ditch the CPA; you won't need it. Focus on networking at your big 4 (right when you join and even before you join) so that you get staffed on interesting projects that you are able to reference during future interviews with other firms. Generally you should shoot for projects that emphasize quant skills and modeling. Also, make sure to prepare heavily get a good score on the GMAT (advise talking it this spring/summer or before you start), and you'll be fine for an MBA. If/when you get there, you can plot a potential move to a strategy role. Hope this helps.. Good luck
Thanks for the response! I have about 6 months before I start working full time at big four, so I will use all this time to focus on breaking 700 for the GMAT so that I can apply for M7 MBA later on.
My biggest concern was the CPA and whether or not I should complete it. I didn't feel like wasting away 6 months of studying if I never use it in the end.
In the Risk Advisory practice, will management likely want to get rid of me in 2-4 years if they realize I'm not seeking certifications?
Definitely recommend studying for the GMAT prior to working. I began prepping before I started in Big 4, and took the test a few months in. I'd also not tell anyone at work that you took or are studying for the test.
Aim for 730+. The average GMAT score @ M7 is increasing each year, and you will need to differentiate yourself from the accounting/finance applicant pool.
Best of luck. The advice above is good on networking, but your number one focus should be to crush it at work. Moving divisions with the firm will be difficult, but having good reviews and partners that can vouch for your work will go a long way (it might be the only way).
730+ GMAT --> Risk Advisory --> Consulting role --> MBA --> MBB --> Immortality
I'm on a similar path, just 1-2 years further along. God speed to both of us.
Hey Peter, thanks for your input!
Are you going to get certified for anything while you're at big 4? I don't want to take certifications as I've heard consulting doesn't really require any. However, with the whole "can't pass the senior level" until you get a certification problem, would this still apply to consultants in big four?
Thanks!
Hey,
Glad to help. I switched to a position outside big 4 a year in. I'm pursuing the CFA currently.
In my group (transaction services) you could reach the manager level without a certification. Are you sure about not being able to be promoted past senior associate w/o a certification?
I would first focus on moving to strategy& operations / performance improvement / operational transaction services team within your current firm. It aligns better with your aspiration for working in strategy work and you might as well enjoy it if you fail to get into MBB. If you get into good teams and good projects your experience in Big 4 can be really good.
I'd love to stay in big 4 as well, however, any idea how the certification process changes? I really would like to avoid taking the CPA, but I'm not sure if they would still require it.
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