Hi, i recently got offer from grant thorton n baker tilly.
May i know which one is better in terms of employee benefit and working culture and environment?
By the way, since Baker Tilly has merged with Moores Stephen, is this meaning that BT is growing n bigger size firm than grant?
Which one will provide higher paid in the long run?

Google Grant Thornton, they won best networking of the year and highest growth as of last year.I think benefits in accounting firms is bad but what you learn will be valuable.

Audit life no pain no gain. do not expect good benefit

Honest take, say no to GT, best networking of the year and highest growth of last year is all "Grant Thornton International", not Malaysia version's "SJ Grant Thornton".

GT is big international, but in Malaysia it ain't.

Depending on your luck, you'll find issues such as crazy working hours and crazy deadlines. Well u can say that with most auditing firms BUT in GT, these craziness is coupled with slow career progression. Meaning u might get stuck on entry level position for almost 2 years just because not enough space to promote you upwards.

I'm not sure on other audit firms but best to avoid GT

I agree with the person above "Wen Lan". I had first hand experience in GT Penang for ard 6-7 months before i quit. I can tell u GT international may have some standard, BUT SJ Grant Thornton sucks big time. Why?? Lemme sum for u.

1) Working hours and workload is crazy, but they dun giv u overtime. It's normal to have crazy working hours in all firms, but in GT, u work like a cow, but u dun get wat u deserve.

2) They accept ALL KINDS of jobs, some with very very low audit fee, then force u to do 1-2 days audit for jobs which is impossible to complete within 2 days. They even do charity, meaning u do free audit for clients, give u 1-2 days ONLY.

3) And about job progression, yes, in GT, there's no job progression or job prospect. Work 2 years, u're still an audit associate. They have too many levels, which does not exist in other audit firms. I have colleagues working almost 5 years, but only senior level. In big4 like KPMG, u would have been a manager or equivalent.

4) And then, there's the ACCA exam thingy. I have seniors already 5 yrs there, but still not yet complete ACCA. Why? Workload issue. Unlike other firms (i'm not sure tho), in GT, u may something like 2 weeks field work here, nxt 2 weeks field work there. They dun have 1 weeks for us to clear our files and so on. With so many stack up, when can we finish?? Weekends (sat and sun) and yes, no overtime paid.

5) Overtime is paid in the form of annual leave. 2 hrs of OT = 2 hrs of leave. Collect 8 hrs = 1 day leave. BUT, when you resign from the company, they will apportion your annual leave, and yes, apportion you overtime claim annual leave too. WTF but i din complain. I just wanted to resign at that time.

6) Lastly, the seniors there is not friendly. Unless you can get into politics with them, you'll end up being their item for gossip. They'll backstab you, make use of u. I had senior who force me to take her files for her from the filing room. Heck it's your audit, but why should I help? In the end, she complained to the manager and i had a scolding for not helping. WTF so childish.

7) Lastly, politics very important in GT Penang. There's a manager there who's very very bad. You'll nid to bodek her evyday to hav a good life. It's coz she's the one setting the audit calendar, thus if she's on good terms with u, then u're lucky. If not, u'll suffer a torrid time there.

One final piece of advice, NEVER EVER STEP INTO GRANT THORNTON. Don't say I didn't warn you. But it's your choice.

Applies in GT penang only? Im considering moving out also sighh

This post has been edited by MaxReddevil: May 19 2013, 01:49 PM

I'm not sure about GT PENANG but in KL, yes it really depends heavily on ur luck, ur timing is right then u get the progression u deserve, otherwise if not many above u resign, u might be denied opportunity for progression. One reason is because of tight budget by big boss, if budget is tight and few resignation, they cant just promote u as it'll exceed the budget.

Thats what u get with a firm which stay largely stagnant and low growth.

Lol seems like GT Penang and KL suffer the same fate...guess why?? The managing partner of KL is a friend of Penang's GT Partner. LOL. Mr. Devil, u're currently working in GT?? Tough luck man...leave if u can...dun let ur life waste away at such a stingy firm. Penang's GT Partner always say "do u know you're a cost to the firm". LOL

LOL~ Need to watch out for the time cost, must not let it burst

In GT, time cost SURE BURN. Bring home do lo. In my 6-7 mths in GT, I have audited alot of company solo. And mostly sure burn eh. Guess why? For example, a company with small revenue, we charge ard 1k to 1.5k. Partner's portion is ard RM500. LOL need to get around 1.5hrs to him, oredi 750. Manager is around RM250. Need at least 1.5 hrs too, so around RM375 already. Total?? RM1,125 already. Us? RM65 per hour, give u 2 days or 16hrs to complete it. How much? More than 1k. Total more than 2k already. How can not burn??

And giv u 16 hours, IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLETE. GT Penang's printing and photocopy machine always hang or paper stuck. We spend around 2-3 hrs a day fixing the dumb machine. And they usually give days, not hours. So if 2 days, meaning 2 days. So whether got emergency or some shitty senior throw some stupid admin work at u, u still must complete ur audit within 2 days. And impossible 2 days eh. Sometimes, some things, no matter how good our analysing skills is, still must ask client. Some shit client will say call back later or will take leave, then nobody can handle their work. So our work will be half complete.

But then, u still must hand up when it is 2 days already, by hook or by crook. Some for me, sometimes i just crack up some stupid reason to cover up. Over the 6-7 mths, I have learned a few tricks to cover up like why sales increase or decrease. Usually standard answers from client eh like "demand increase, sales increase, purchases also increase lo" Analysing must be smart. If purchase goes down while sales goes up, i'll say the cost dropped, so purchase total cost drops lo. Haha in GT, must be smart.

One more thing abt time cost, it sure burn eh. So just either bring home do or stay OT in office do lo. Haha definitely cannot claim OT eh. Stupid policy saying only doing PLCs can claim OT. And OT claim is 1-1 ratio for annual leave. U OT 2 hours, claim extra 2 hours annual leave. Damn cheap firm. GT Malaysia lacks standard and staff welfare. My advice, dun stay too long. You're just wasting time and life there.

Can i know more info. Is this all true???im thinkinh of going there to work

Hav you worked there before??

go where? mind to specify which company in which city?

I came out from there last year. How would I not know. You're joking right with your question. Nway GT is definitely not a good place unless you can strive almost everynite till 10-11pm without OT claim, and nxt morning still arrive in time for work before 8.30am. Then, the salary is also very low considering mid-tier firms like BDO pays more and have almost the same or even lesser workload. Then, there's this crazy attitude that leaving at 6.30pm is considered leaving VERY EARLY. Unless you have classes after work, you're considered leaving early. There's no peak and off peak. There, it's only super peak and less peak. Super peak, PLCs together with SMEs. Less peak, ALOT of SMEs. Worst of all, there are managers who knows they are wrong, but pretend they are right and still push the blame to you. Even when you're on field, your managers will still rush you back to office to clear any reviews, then you havta go back at nite after finishing your field work. Be reminded, report date sometimes are like 2-3 months away and still, they rush to finish it. I'm fair though. Finish early means collecting pay cheque early from client. Tiring life indeed.

Is there a pronlem with the culture there??any racism there like favouring one type of ppl overvthe other?? Ive actually thought of working there . According to internet its the top ten

Honestly, so many ppl have left GT KL, even though thry were there was less than a year. If u r chinese u dont need to worry, but if you only speak english you have to worry also.

Lol wat do you mean if i speak english only i need to worry?? Arent the working papers and work done in english or all dobe in mandarin??

Ive got a friend who just joined gt just joined only . He tells me they give him dinner at six . Food like mee hoon n nasi lemak is given as dinner. Got free makan some more how is that not taking care of the staff??

You're talking about GT Penang or KL? I'm from GT Penang last time, not KL. Secondly, they are ALL CHINESE, no Malays or Indians in GT Penang. PURE CHINESE. Thirdly, there's no racism or anything like English speaking or chinese speaking. It's just politics. It's like DAP vs MCA, chinese vs chinese. And there are managers u nid to handle, all with different requirements and different types of pressure. Some will call you at 6pm when you're on field audit, calling you to come back and clear the reviews. Imagine you expect to be out till 9pm on field, still need to rush back settle. Worst of all, date of report 2-3 months away. Staff welfare sucks in Penang GT. No idea about GT KL, but GT Penang is horrible. ^^


Oh and your statement of top 10. LOL it's true GT INTERNATIONAL is world no.5 now, overtaking BDO and others. HOWEVER, it's INTERNATIONAL. GT Malaysia is called SJ Grant Thornton, thus not even top 8. Behind Bakers, BDO and Horwarths. I;ve heard bad rumors about GT KL but i do not want to say anything as I've never experienced anything there. But evythg I said abt GT Penang is 1st hand experience. Up to u think decide.

This post has been edited by whitesabre: Jun 15 2013, 04:41 PM