Odds of breaking into IB from TAS (Transaction Advisory Service), specifically as a Valuation & Modeling Analyst, say, from a firm just outside of the Big 4 Accounting firms? If you have successfully made the switch, share your story. Note: Ik there's forum for this already, but it's a bit dated
09 Oct 2020
Hi, I currently have a Big 4 Pre-Interview social (virtual) coming up. I was wondering if anyone has been to one of these? What to expect? Is it informal and what kind of questions should I ask? Never been to one of these, thanks!
28 Sep 2020
The title covers it pretty well, short version is I turned down 2 B4 advisory intern offers (2 of the 4) for a MM IB internship and they cut the internship and didn't extend any FT offers. Any good advice for reaching out to the B4 firms? If I was able to get an offer at 2/4 of them without references I feel like I'd still be a good candidate, but how do they treat people who turned them down? Any advice for someone who's been in this spot before?
03 Nov 2020
I have to decide between big 4s for management consulting. I have offers(associate) from 2 big 4s and soon i'll ace the other 2 too but i still cant decide which one to join. I value work culture and entrepreneurship. Also, im aiming for a top 10 mba in future. I've heard deloitte and pwc are better. Views?
10 Dec 2019
If i start off at a Big 4 firm in Risk Advisory. Is it possible to move into Valuation after 1-2 years within the same firm?
16 Sep 2020
Hi guys I have an offer from KPMG Global Strategy Group - Deal Strategy. My career goal is either to move into Investment Banking after a few years or directly into Private Equity. How do you guys rate the following position in terms of exit opportunities? This is a position in Europe. Participate in various projects in the deal strategy space: portfolio review, operational / carve-out / commercial due diligence (sell side & buy side), JV strategy, integration / separation planning and execution, synergy assessments. Perform analyses on a broad range of operational, financial and strategic
20 Dec 2020
Background: - Currently a senior consultant at a big 4 with a handful of projects under my belt. - Hoping to write CFA level 3 in May, I was planning to write it this summer but it got delayed because of covid. I am acing the mocks consistently now so I am pretty sure I can pass it. - Completed the FMVA - Undergraduate in finance from a non-target - I have a stack of trade thesis I write to trade my personal savings (mostly swing trading in FX and indices) I can show off in interviews and I made decent returns over the years. The analysis is all in macroeconomics. I know this is more hedge
11 Nov 2020
Hi all, I've been looking around WSO for a while now but haven't gotten around to posting anything substantial/giving back. I'm doing a Q&A for the next two weeks give or take to answer questions/thoughts you might have. Hopefully I can help despite my limited background, given the seeming lack of information on big 4 diligence groups. Maybe this will help someone decide that this is the career for them. Going on a few years now I have been working in a transaction advisory services group at one of the big four professional services firms in New York. The work varies significantly from one big
23 Dec 2018
Trying to figure some things out for the long term and would like others input. Currently in ER (Im a CPA), wondering if it would be smart to try and get into TAS at the Big 4. I see it mainly as two paths: (1) stay in ER, most likely start studying for the CFA (2) get into TAS (hopefully M&A), see where it leads within the firm, try to pivot to banking. Does anyone have insight into long term salary at both places (Big 4 partner vs Equity Analyst).
06 Jun 2019
I am a sophomore at a top 5 business school and I am deciding between two internship offers. I can't choose between them so it would be greatly appreciated if as many of you could give me advice. I am interested in consulting/finance and would like to work at the top of a fortune 500's Finance department in the long term. Internship 1 (4-7 weeks): Big 4 Diversity Program for rising juniors focused on training minority students for careers in accounting/advisory, mostly accounting focused. This internship is mostly training and does not involve much hands-on work. I've heard it's basically just
22 Oct 2020
Starting a Q&A thread for any Big4 Auditors or Advisory folks looking to transition to a top MBA. I leaned heavily on WSO to complete the journey up to this point, and want to give back to those currently mired in the Big 4 grind. I cannot thank WSO enough for giving me the knowledge and confidence to achieve what I once thought impossible. Quick Background - Big 4 FS audit for 3 years --> Advisory for 2 years --> Attending a Top 15 MBA next fall. Very hard to take this path but it's doable. Goal is to enter investment banking after my MBA. Feel free to ask anything - Big 4 culture/stereotypes
01 Nov 2018
Hi All, I narrowed down what I would like to pursue and the jobs that are currently available online that I would like your advise on applying for. I have been working in the financial services group within a big 4 accounting firm and specialized in compliance and REIT due diligence for a real estate development/management company for the past 3.5 years. Ultimately, I would like to break into the REPE and am seeking advise on how to gain necessary real estate deals/transactions/mortgage/underwriting experience. After doing some Google search, I came across a "Financial Analyst" position for a
26 Aug 2019
What's the better firm? Also, whats the differences in: Leadership/Mentoring People Working enviornment Which is Better for Advisory - KPMG or Deloitte? Our users highlighted that Deloitte is generally considered to be more prestigious across the board. User lou, an investment banking analyst, shared that Deloitte is generally considered to be the most prestigious.
I think most would agree Deloitte is better than KPMG in all practices and in terms of prestige. Though, the prestige does come with douchebags.While this sentiment was shared by
05 Sep 2018
So I accepted an internship offer with a Big 4 in NYC earlier this year. It was all I had at the time and was unsure or not if I'd be able to break into banking as I attend a non-target. I was just extended an offer with better pay, and a housing stipend also in NYC at a large bank. How do I go about reneging on the Accounting firm and are there any risks to my new offer in doing so? I know reneging on a BB for another BB in Investment Banking is a big no no but in my case I'm changing industries and it's what I actually want to do vs accounting which was the best option at the time.
01 Nov 2019
Hi, I am currently looking to exit Big 4 Audit and have the following two opportunities: Finance Manager at Top VC firm (in-charge for reviewing all accounting work prepared by out-sourced accountants. basically operations and reviewing work here along with work with auditor requests). Senior FP&A Analyst at mid-size private SaaS company (true FP&A role, no accounting involved). Which of the above roles would you go with when considering the following: pay, hours, exit opportunities? Thank you for any advice in advance!
27 Sep 2020
Hi, I get my MSc in BA and econ in 2 months from a non-target Scandinavian school. During my studies I have been working at local branch for a tier-1 Scandinavian bank. The job was deputy client executive, mainly assisting client executives administrative stuff, preppin for credit memos and assisting in transactions. Customers range from revenues of $10m to $100m. I have now been offered a FT job as client executive after graduation in this medium sized city. I have as well been offered a Big 4 audit position within financial services in the capital city. I aim to first break into some sort of
03 Apr 2019
I am a senior Fin/Acct major at a top 50 state undergrad business school. We are Big 4 target but not MBB/IB so I know where I stand. I have a 3.7 and decent involvement. I currently have an offer for BIg 4 Enterprise Risk Advisory after I graduate which I got from an internship. I enjoyed the people and the work was also enjoyable when it wasn't tech audit focused. However I am a little more interested in strategy compared to audit/risk management. I want to weigh the advantages of a Big 4 name vs a small no name strat/research firm that I think I have a chance at. I want to set myself up for
18 Sep 2020
Nowadays, as the competition steadily increases and fortune 100 entry-level positions become inexperienced college grad's new goal, what must one do to get ahead. Just a few quick questions about the Big 4: What is the Big 4's stereotypical entry-level candidate? -Google, Apple and Facebook hire ivy league pedigrees. Whereas Big 4 hires ________. How difficult is it to get hired for entry-level positions at the Big4? Who is the competition? What does having 3+ years of Big 4 experience mean for one's professional life (later down the road)? Why do people talk so much trash about work/life
18 May 2018
Going into my junior year at a non-target, I was curious what the best department to intern with at a big 4 that can help lead to moving to strategy or management consulting roles. This is largely in the case that I do not get any internships at any MBB or boutique strategy firm. Pivoting from an internship at EY into EY-P or PwC to Strategy& seems like a decent alternative, but I am not sure which department would be best to intern with first.
24 Aug 2020
If you had to choose between the following two offers which one would you choose and why? Alvarez & Marsal Valuation Services - Sr. Assoc. - 20-25% year end bonus based off hours billed. EY TAS - Valuation & Business Modeling - Senior - 10% year end bonus, however EY is offering 10k more on the base salary A&M work is primarily focused on Alt. Investment Portfolio Valuations (HF, PE, Credit, Distressed) for quarterly and annual reporting purposes. There is some work regarding valuations of Complex Securities too. A&M is also viewed as more of a finance shop. While valuation is not the main
29 Nov 2019
Hello, dear. I am an East Asian student who is going to attend the MSc Applied Economics PGT at Bath University (Social Science Faculty, not Management School). My dream job is the FO/MO in IB/PE/VC in London. But I am not sure is it enough. Should I get one more Master's Degree in a more famous Business School? Other info: Bachelor of Economics(Top 300 of the world, Top 10 of China); 4 year's audit experience in Big 4, Many IPO & M&A projects in China. My worry: 1. Ranking: The world ranking of Bath is not good enough, though its reputation in the UK is respectable. 2. Major & Faculty: My
26 Jul 2020
Hi guys Background - Big 4 Audit followed by close to 3 years in Strategic Finance Analyst role in leading corporate. Currently on 60k PS and most likely going to get bumped to 65k in Dec but high chance to 70k & promotion to Manager role. Exploring Corporate Development opportunities. Have had interviews for multiple manager / analyst roles at 70-75k however despite positive feedback miss out to ppl with T/S or traditional banking background. Some roles that recruiters have approached me with from SMEs / several hundred m turnover companies are on 55-60k. Is it worth taking such a side ways /
17 Oct 2018
Does anyone have any experience interning at a Big 4 accounting firm? Really interested to hear any insights
11 Jul 2018
Fellow Monkeys, I've occassionally followed WSO threads since university and there's been some good advice. I'm sensing a blocker and can do with thoughts from the consulting community/looping in with those in strategy consulting for a view. I've been working in FS implementation consulting for nearly 3 years, focusing on 'transformation' projects. Mostly operational; think process optimisation, digital transformation / trading ops improvement roles. My work is delivery-orientated, working with clients to solve ops challenges on the ground. Current concerns/blockers: - This is my first
29 May 2020
Background: I'm a 2nd year analyst at a prominent non-big 4 firm doing TAS (valuation / M&A DD) and I just got an offer for a boutique bank (I'd solely be doing middle market M&A) in a second tier city, which I'm currently working in. FWIW, this is the first banking offer I've gotten. I have a few hesitations: 1. Comp seems low 2. Exit opportunities - I'm hoping to jump to a MM PE firm after my analyst stint but given this is a growing IB (has been doing extremely well), I'm worried about the weight of the name. I met with a good amount of folks and it seems like a solid culture but my main
23 Feb 2017
Hi folks, summary of my situation: - Experience: 2 years at a Big 4 doing Valuation (mainly business valuation and building financial models; not much audit assist). I was also asked several times to join in FDD engagements so I'm positive I could also get some FDD experience. About to get promoted to Senior unless I fk up haha - Location: SE Asia, so the biggest brand names are limited to MBB, Big 4, and BB (none of them have IBD, only corporate banking) - Goal: M7 MBA, targeting Wharton (reach)/Columbia/MIT While I'm happy with where I am, I feel like I could strengthen my profile a little
27 Apr 2019
Hey guys, I want some input on deciding between Duff & Phelps and a big 4. I got offers from a Big 4 and Duff & Phelps for their valuation. Ultimately, I want to do private equity in the long run and willing to take any route I can to get there, which offer should I take?
20 Oct 2016
Hello - I interned at a Big 4 company in their advisory department last summer and received a full-time offer. A few weeks after accepting the offer I found myself in some hot water with the law (DUI-D Charge, trial set for February). I realize this is a very serious offense (which personally offends individuals with certain histories) - for that I apologize. I have already started to learn from the experience and have self-enrolled in some programs in an attempt to repent for my sins. With that said, I don't know what my course of action should be regarding my prospective employer. Do I
27 Oct 2016
Over the years I've seen several posts on people considering jobs at Big4 corporate finance / M&A / TS departments, or people making statements about these jobs which have some pretty large inaccuracies. I'm going to try and clear up any confusion over the topics here.... Big 4 corporate finance The corporate finance departments at Big4 essentially offer MM boutique bank advisory services. You will do sector research, deal sourcing. deal advisory, act as sponsor / Nomad (in the UK). You'll do a lot of work with PE firms, especially if you're in a capital markets role. Many of the people here
07 Feb 2016
Hey guys, I recently started in Big 4 Audit in Canada and was able to transfer to Financial advisory. I have always been more interested in finance but didn't go to a University that would give me a realistic chance at a good finance job. I went the big 4 route instead with a plan to transfer into FAS later on. Recently, there was an opening for an Analyst in what they call the Transaction and Business Modelling practice. We essentially help clients we help advise clients to make decisions and then possible pass it off to corporate finance if the client wants to move further. There is also a
10 Apr 2016
It has been a long time since I've posted something constructive on these fora but lately, I have been getting a lot of questions on LinkedIn about Big 4 valuation, especially from those in MSF programs and recent MSF grads. Like most MSFs, I was completely unaware of the diverse career paths that finance has to offer. I knew that there were hedge fund managers and bankers but that was basically it. There has been increased attention devoted to this field on here as well so I think it would be helpful to contribute and to share my experiences. This post is intended for current/recent MSFs as
08 Feb 2016
Certainly there are quite a few people who achieve more than that. What I mean is usual (or slightly above average) case. Is it fairly common for a person who started a career in Big 4 to make 200K ~ 300K in their mid-30s?(or late 30s)
07 Feb 2017
I'm finishing up my first year as an audit senior and going through the 'should I stay (until manager) or should I go' dilemma. I know I don't want to do internal audit or financial reporting and I think my target future job would be VP, Finance or Finance Director, or would love some M&A exposure, rather than the typical accounting/controller route. If I stayed until manager, I believe that will give me an edge to get into the c-suite later on rather than if I leave just after 2.5 years in big 4. On the other hand, if I tried to leave as a finance or FP&A manager, the job descriptions look
29 May 2015
I'm a 2nd year associate at a Big 4 TAS (Valuation), looking to lateral after I'm promoted to senior. I'm aiming for M7 MBA (Wharton/Columbia/MIT) and read that the adcoms are suckers for big brand companies. However, being based in South East Asia, I don't have many choices. The best brands I could get are McK, BCG, Deloitte S&O and Strategy& but the consulting recruitment process is a bloodbath with so few analyst positions (and I heard that projects aren't as interesting as they are in developed markets). Realistically, I have much better chance applying to IBD. None of BB IBs have a
08 Feb 2019
Curious if anyone has ever done a 6 to 12 month rotation between competencies at a big 4 firm. I'm specifically interested in Valuation or FDD. I understand this can be common coming from audit, but interested if anyone has seen it done from someone on the consulting side. Rationale is that I'm extremely process focused and would like to build out my technical finance/accounting skill set. Slight cavet - I'm expecting a promotion to manager in the next few months, I would wait until this went into effect before having this discussion, but wondering if this would make a rotation more difficult.
26 Apr 2017
Hey everyone, I'm wondering what's the protocol I should follow about changing jobs and/or moving after recently joining a new company. I graduated from a good midwestern school a year ago, and moved back to my east coast home city because my college GF was also moving there. My first job out of school wasn't great, and it took me many months to find a new one. I started at my new company in April, and it's a great job at a well known, highly respected consulting firm. Problem is, I need to move. The long term relationship ended very sadly/badly, and I just can't live in this city any more. I
08 Jul 2016
Big 4 senior here, and have been looking to make a transition into an fp&a role. I've gotten two offers so far, and looking for some opinions on which one to take. Comp is similar between them, so not as much of a factor. Offer 1) Financial Analyst role at a midsize (just over half a billion in revenue), would be doing forecasting/budgeting, customer profitability analysis, true fp&a responsibilities. Really like this job, but the company size and make up of the department makes me fear that there won't be room for growth. Would probably stay in this role for 2-4 years, then try to move on to
21 Nov 2016
Recently, I was thinking of gaining some international exposure by moving to London. But the salary differential is really too large for it to be a consideration considering London is as expensive as where I'm based out now. In NYC, fresh graduates in big 4 consulting start on 70+k and MBA SC hires start on 135k. In London, fresh graduates start on only £32k which is equivalent to 50k. Managers in the big 4 I'm working start on only £60-65k, thats less than 100k. There is no noticeable difference for IB and Biglaw. Do you guys think it is possible to ask the big 4 in London to match my salary
30 Jun 2015
eFinancialcareers published an article where they surveyed 6,500 consulting professionals globally on the ideal professional services firms to work for and the Big 4 surpass both Bain and BCG. The Big 4 consulting practices have gained a lot of prestige in the last couple of years, does anyone think there is any truth to this ranking? I still hold MBB way above Big 4 consulting. EDIT: Realized the picture is too small to see the rankings 1, McKinsey 2. PwC 3. Deloitte 4. EY 5. KPMG 6. BCG 7. Bain 8. Accenture 9. Grant Thornton 10. Oliver Wyman
26 Feb 2016
I'm a big 4 audit senior who has been active in the campus and experienced hire recruiting process. I have experience with 2 of the big 4 firms. Ask about meet the firms, follow up emails/calls, exit opportunities, interviews ect.
12 Oct 2014
I will preface this by saying yes I've read TONS of threads on this question. I am hoping for some more advice for my specific situation from the WSO community. I'm currently a Big 4 auditor in a major market and want to make the switch into Investment Banking like many Big 4 people would love to. My plan is to start networking like crazy right now, develop some relationships, and see if I can get interviews for the coming recruiting season. Background Info: - Been in Big 4 for about a year - 3/4 way done with the CPA - 3.95 major GPA and 3.85 Overall GPA at state school (Northern Illinois University) - Very small alumni network in investment banking So my questions are: 1. Is cold calling/email/LinkedIn contacting going to be my best method of networking?
28 Jul 2014
Let me start this off by saying I'm not sure if I selected the right "forum" topic, so if anyone can direct me let me know. About me: So I interned this past busy season at a Big 4 accounting firm in the south east (I won't say the exact city for privacy reasons). The office is in the gulf coast (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana region), and is fairly average-sized. I have one more year of my masters of accounting credits this year to complete, and then I start full-time in September. I received an average rating for my internship performance review, so I must have one well enough for one
18 Jun 2015
Hi, a lot of you may think I'm an idiot just for asking this, but I think it may be a good idea. I have not being able to get an IB SA internship. This is my last summer, and I was thinking about saying I was gonna delay my graduation by one semester in order to secure an internship in a Big 4 acct firm. The only want students with at least 2 summers left. The internship is a split between auditing dept and advisory. I think doing this is better than doing an internship at Merrill Lynch (pwm). My intention is not to get a FT position but to get a Decent internship thus last summer. What do you
13 Mar 2015
I have been working in big 4 audit now for just under 3 years and have obtained my ACA. My contract with my firm end of 2020, but auto-renews and makes me assistant manager unless I choose to decline the offer. I want to move into consulting, I have spoken to individuals who have worked in companies such as Mckinsey / BCG, and the work seems so much more interesting compared to the mundane life of finance audit. The pay is also seemingly more attractive there... Anyone have any idea how I can position myself to move into top tier consulting eventually and perhaps when would be the best time to
26 Dec 2019
Hey all, Incoming consultant here to big 4 firm. I will be working out of an East Coast based office, but I'm hoping to transfer to a West Coast based office at some point - has anyone done this and if so, any tips? Thanks.
14 Dec 2014
I am a first year business administration student, in the future I would like to work in a consulting firm, I have landed two internships positions and I am having a hard time to decide which one should I join, it is a classic dilemma between start-up vs big corp. Start-up Ag-Tech Start-Up It is currently in the B series funding level, it is an agricultural startup that has been generating a lot of profit and attention, I really like their business model and also I am quite fond of anything that has a correlation with green-tech. I will be working with the business development team, which I
16 May 2016
I just scored an interview for a full-time entry level position in the TAS group of a Big 4 accounting firm (valuation group). This was sort of a back up plan and I've spent the last 4 years of college gunning for ER. Anyone know what I can expect to be asked by HR during the initial phone interview? Basic HR cookie cutter questions like strengths/weaknesses type BS? Also if anyone knows of any forums like this one but for Big 4 accounting stuff, that'd be awesome.
08 Oct 2014
Can somebody explain the different groups of Transaction Services: due diligence, accounting advisory, and valuation. Which group do people who previously worked in audit move into? What do they focus on? Do they hire from undergrad? Do you have to have experience? What are exit opportunities for each group? Which pays best? Etc....
23 Feb 2016
Hi guys, so this is my second post so far, and I'm thoroughly enjoying the feedback I've been getting from ya'll (especially from DickFuld). This particular subject involves entrepreneurship, so I decided that posting this in the VC section would be best. So I've come to ask your opinion about a friend's future business plan. He's currently enrolled in a top-ranking community college in SoCal; he plans to transfer to a state business school (the school is among the top twenty business schools in the U.S.) that happens to have strong connections with all four of the Big 4 firms. He wants to
19 Jun 2015
I was offered a position at a Big 4 Firm (Deloitte/PwC) and was also offered a position as a GE FMP. I'm not really sure which route to take. Could someone give me the pros and cons of each?
24 Oct 2013
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