Suggested start date for FT

Hey everyone,

First, I wanted to say thank you to everyone on this site. I was lucky enough to get a FT offer with a great firm, and I can attribute a lot of my success to the insightful posts and discussions on this board. I hope in a couple of years I can provide some valuable input to the younger members that frequent this forum.

I have two options for start dates for FT - one is later this summer and the other is early 2016. I graduate in May, and I am currently in a master's of accounting program, so I think it would be possible to take both my CPA and GMAT if I start in January. Also, it would be nice to have some additional time to travel, relax, and get back into some hobbies of mine that I have given up because of school.

However, I also feel like next January is a reaalllly long time away, and I do not want to put myself at a disadvantage by starting later especially because the majority of my start class will chose the later summer date.

It would be nice to get some perspective from everyone, as this is a surprisingly difficult decision for me.

Thanks!

 

Yes, Deloitte S&O. I agree 8 months is a very long time; however, I was debating going abroad for a few months, and potentially spending the rest of the time studying.

As for the CPA, the past three years of my coursework has been focused on taking the exam, so I feel fairly prepared and feel slightly obligated to take the exam. I understand there is limited benefit to having a CPA in the consulting world, but it could be a beneficial certification to have later in my life.

Congratulations on your offer by the way!

 

I started full time late and taught abroad for almost a year before starting my first full time job. If you think you'll really take advantage of the time and do something you'll remember the rest of your life then do it, you won't be too far behind in a big company like Deloitte. On the other hand, if you're just going to study and then go on a little vacation or two and mostly hang out I would start earlier.

 

Hey welcome to Deloitte,

I believe I know what school you go to, and therefore guessing your joining an Canadian offices? If you're joining the F&PM line or Public Sector, definitely take the CPA. Three reasons: 1) For some contracts it is required, 2) It will give credibility to your name on bids even if it's not required, and 3) It will give you credibility within the firm and with leadership.

In terms of start date, something you should consider is this...Promotions are decides in June and applied in August each year, and mid-year promotes are usually VERY hard to attain. Typical promotion rate for a BA to consultant is ~2 years, sometimes 1 year but that is also pretty difficult. If you come in in August, you could be promoted to consultant next August although you would need to be an all-star right away, and depending on available projects that might be out of your hands. If you start in January, you definitely won't get promoted in August (9 months is simply to short a time to consistently prove you're an allstar), BUT you will most likely get promoted the next August only after working for 1yr9 months, as opposed to 2 yrs if you miss the one year promote if you had started in August (again, very difficult). Sorry if this sounds confusing, what I'm trying to articulate, is that chances are you will get promoted the same time as the people who start in the Summer even if you start in January.

Personally, if I were you I would take the time to travel and relax. Consulting is hard work, make sure you don't have any regrets or missed opportunities before you start because you won't have another 3 months to blow for quite some time after starting your job.

 

I second what sevenforone said about the promotion, my friend had a winter start date in S&O and got promoted her second August, meaning in less than 2 years, where as most of her peers had done the full two years.

 
Best Response

Myron, you have been given a gift. Imagine walking down the street and seeing a "Free Money" sign next to a $100 bill. Your gut is telling you to take it. You look around and no one else even notices it. If no one else is reaching for it, maybe it's not really a gift? Maybe it's a trap? You're not used to listening to your gut (you do have an accounting degree, after all). You're afraid to trust it. Maybe you should just do what everyone else is doing, keep walking, follow the crowd...

I was in a somewhat similar as you and it amazed me how few people in my class took the extra time. Did they really have nothing better to do than start working in consulting immediately? Nothing at all? Enjoy the only period of your life that will be completely stress-free, travel or backpack or read books and do something interesting that will make your classmates envious. Don't take the CPA. GMAT is ok though.

 

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