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

If BNM is offering you a job in its statistics department, and you are being offered an auditor or tax position in KPMG/EY, there is no direct relation between both roles and they lead to different careers.

I think the first question you need to answer is what do you want to do with your career and what you want to be in 5yr, 10 yrs time. Then choose the job that takes you there.

I would say if you are not sure what you want to do, you should join an audit firm if your intention is to be an accountant or manager in the future. They will offer you experience that will improve your market value in the next 3-5 years if you choose to join an MNC. The experience is very generic in the sense that they teach you "how to do" things and keep you abreast with the changes in the profession.

If you join BNM, I am 80% sure the lifestyle is better (less stress, better hours, better benefits, and decent pay). BNM does not limit your future entirely, depending on what you do. But it could limit the industry your experience is relevant to. Your experience will be a fair bit more specialised than what you would pick up at an accounting firm. I don't foresee you joining a telco or manufacturing or O&G company in the future after years of service in BNM. But if you like what you do, and BNM offers you the mobility to move around different departments, you could have a good future in the financial industry compliance teams. You should speak to the BNM people and find out more about your progression structure and consider how that experience helps you in the future.

With all that being said, you are just entering the job market and this is not a life-and-death situation. If you don't like what you do, there is nothing to stop you from changing jobs as its still early in your career. You only lose out 1-2 years time in progression which isn't that big a deal in the long term.