Hey guys,

I know it's way too early to decide as I'm only at the interview stage but do help me decide one over the other. I'm a fresh graduate from a local twinning accounting and finance degree program. Which would be better in terms of exposure and career advancements? Besides how is their salary package like? Bonuses, perks? Please and feel free to include anything that you think may affect my judgment as well yea.

I'm appealing to you guys out there to help me decide and thanks a billion in advance!

KPMG!!!! Private company, good prospect...........

dude obviously KPMG ! its like you are asking to choose a BMW or a proton inspira man !

Good luck !

Bank Negara is not a bad choice....whoeve said KPMG is a best choice , either have no idea or juz simply bull shit

Quite tricky . But I think for career advancement go for KPMG . If you want to stay same position for career lifetime , go for Bank Negara . KPMG I think salary got commision also + can claim petrol , tol . Bank negara also can . Saw many KPMG workers at One Utama though ~ They look quite young with their tag and all ~

This post has been edited by eventsphotoshoot: Dec 9 2010, 11:33 PM

My sister in law work as IT officer in Bank Negara. Basic salary I can say pretty normal. But the perks and bonuses very2 good. Lots of benefits. Buy laptop can claim (got limit), buy magazine can claim, holiday n etc. But career advancements not so good. No cable or your immediate superior don't like you then u will stay at same position.

Since she joined Bank Negara, even got fever also go to Prince Court . Delivering child (normal) cover up to 7K. Housing loan interest also low. If I'm not wrong 2%, but limit not so much if compared to normal banks.

So I think BNM is better and gud luck with your interview

p/s : she got the job coz my father in law got cable inside BNM

That's because it's the nearest place for lunch. Just 5 mins walk away from the office elevator.

Why la angry? Business is all about cables and networking

KPMG is part of the Big4 hence its the place where young hotshots like to flock. But do not be tempt by just the name and glamour, if you are willing to go all out to work (with gung ho & enthusiasm) then by all means please enter KPMG.

If not then I will think Bank Negara will be a better choice, and make no mistake its not easy to get admission too as many would believe as working in elite government body like bank negara, EPF and securities commission is no childs play especially at advance level (Ie : Corporate finance)

Salary - KPMG - RM2.3k-RM2.6k
- BNM - ??

Career progression - KPMG - good prospect, every yr can get promotion, good learning ground in all aspect.
- BNM - may stuck at same position for years.

Benefits - KPMG - Only medical (limited)
- BNM - Covers almost everything for medical, loans,holiday etc

Working hour - KPMG - 24/7. no more off peak now.
- BNM - stable work life balance

I would suggest that you join KPMG for 4-5 yrs to gain experience and then only jump ship to commercial.those with experience in audit firm are highly demanded in the job market.

Hi TS,

KPMG and other audit firms offer you good experience if you want to be in the financial reporting / accounting field. If you leave the audit firm for a finance manager or consultant like position, the experience is very relevant. Other than that, I don't think you will be worse off than BNM. The other perk is if you don't know what you want to do in the future, KPMG and the other firms will give you more options later when you decide. Audit firms also have a high population of young people around your age group and is fast paced. But based on personal experience, audits firms don't pay very well, have crappy benefits, and long hours.

BNM on the other hand, will also depend on which department you end up in and what you'll be doing. Salary is comparable, hours are better, benefits are way and beyond better than audit firms. However, I am inclined to believe that the experience they offer may limit you to the banking and financial industry. This is not a bad thing because this industry is lacking in experts, but if you don't like this field then joining BNM may limit your future jumping prospects.

Even if BNM's pay is lower than KPMG (which I don't think is true), BNM will take care of you from a different aspect in terms of medical for you and your family, loans for house, stable regular hours and they will sponsor your post grad studies as well. If you are going to be married in the next few years or already have family plans in mind, BNM is definitely the better choice.

This post has been edited by CKJMark: Dec 10 2010, 09:25 AM

agree with you, sometime forumer tend to blow w/o supporting facts.

@TS
What is your career goal, i think u have to understand your career goal before make a decision. Salary for KPMG consultant/advisory entry level should be 2.8k. i heard bank negara exec level pay more then that

I've got friends in KPMG and PWC... also got friends in Bank Negara..
I'd say that though KPMG's a very reputable accounting firm, thats all it is and thats all it will ever be-- just an accounting firm.

And we all know that Accountants get paid peanuts for alot alot of work. something like 2.3k with increments of 100-200 a year. bonuses are crap too.. something like 1-2 months.

however, the experience you will get from working at KPMG will be very valuable. Banks love auditors and accountants from KPMG. your career prospects will be good. just make sure u dont stay with an accounting firm for too long.

Bank negara on the other hand, has so many different departments ... if you get into something good like treasury or something, you will expect fantastic bonuses ... 6-7 months if unlucky, 12months+ if you are lucky. roughly lah ,....do well in your job, and you might get a chance to sit for different exams and licenses.. which will increase your paygrade by 700 like that. again, those are for treasury positions.

I think it is wise to go KPMG and stay for few years then only apply to BNM. Then, you can work your way up to higher position more faster as you will understand more of the corporate world's operations and accounts.

totally agree with you

BNM = safe zone. lots of benefits , and good money/bonuses

others = rewarding only when u made it.

Thanks guys for everything! I guess the choice has pretty much been decided already, BNM it is! One reason why I needed to know is because both the interviews happen to be on the same day same time! If there was way to go about it and present myself in both the interviews I certainly would though. Thanks again. =D

Simple depend u wan work life balance or stressful but steep career prospect.

Former, choose BNM (higher starting salary, benefits etc, but slow growth)
Latter, KPMG (comparatively lower starting package (salary, bonus, benefits, etc etc but higher growth and can safely exceed BNM within 5 yrs, prudently speaking, but then u die faster oso, hehehe...just kiddingon the last part)

So working in BNM leaves you with limited career prospect. Say if I moved out after staying for a couple of years, would the experience that I've gotten from BNM still be valuable and perhaps held highly by future employers? Okay maybe not as much as I would have gotten from KPMG but still, valuable?

The only reason of me wanting to join BNM at this point is really the work-life balance and since there is not much career prospect I would probably move out into something better after gaining all that experience? Is it advisable?

doesn'tmake sense leh.
u mean u wan work life balance wen ur younger and more stress ur older?? hmmm tats is quite opposite of mst ppl's thinking.
Anyway, all expeirences are valueable, its a matter of how much relative to others.

In BNM i think the highest value, would be if u maintain very good connections with ppl inside, sometimes banks/FIs see value in such candidate with valuable connections with BNM and the insight of BNMoperations, but not so much of the experience lar. Alsp whether u bumi also makes a diff.

all that said im dunno wat position ur applying in BNM and wat u'll be doing. KPMG im assuming audit.
So i can only generalised, and also depends what is ur next job. if u joing banking compliance dept/ legal dept, BNM will have more value.

how would u knw if u still got oppurtunity to join bnm after few years ?

This post has been edited by steventan85: Dec 12 2010, 11:05 PM