Yes I am, but i applied for the position as tax assistant/associate with Deloitte and EY, no reply from them

Try KPMG and PWC, they keep trying to get people into Tax.


CKJ, how is the opportunities like in Tax? My interviewer was really passionate about it, she talked a lot about how it was more value-adding than Audit haha. But then again a lot of people talk about going to Audit for future opportunities outside the big4, like financial controller. What about Tax then? @_@

Tax may go for tax manager or working with IRB or some other thing related to tax...or u may stay in the accounting firm and become tax partner....

Tax is a relatively new and growing field in Malaysia. New in the sense that its diversifying away from the standard tax return filing work. IRB is becoming "smarter" and more aware of tax issues like transfer pricing, GST, thin capitalisation and the self-assessment system. Because things are becoming more and more complicated, there are opportunities in the commercial sector for tax professionals outside the accounting firms but these are often limited to big MNCs or large local corporate groups.

The reason I say this is because tax is a sub-function of accounting. If your organisation is not large enough, there won't be very many tax issues to justify hiring an in-house tax person. They would rather just get a consultant in for the job on a temp basis vs paying you a monthly salary to be on stand-by. If you are looking for a high paying tax job outside the accounting firms, you will need to work for large companies like the oil and gas sector (Petronas, Shell), financial sector (Maybank, OCBC, CIMB), property development sector (Sunway, Sime Darby) and maybe the share services centres of MNCs (Schlumberger, Shell). These jobs will pay you reasonably well to be in-house tax and there is still opportunity to move upwards career-wise. Other companies on a smaller scale, you will probably work under the finance manager so you won't have much opportunity to move on. In the not-so-big companies, tax accountants sometimes also double over in a treasury role, or even payroll accounting role as well to assist HR.

That being said, you can always stay in the professional firm and them use it as a platform to join an overseas sister firm like in Hong Kong or Singapore. HK and SG tax laws are quite similar to Malaysia so you will not have trouble adapting, and the payscale is much better. Again, you can also work in the regional tax team of MNCs based in those countries too.

But you will have an easier time looking for a job if you have audit background. Every company needs an accountant but not every company need a tax consultant.

Thanks CKJMark, that sums it up very well. It seems like everybody plans to leave the accounting firm at some point. Is there something wrong with staying there for the rest of your career? Is it that the pay does not justify the workload even at higher positions?

Accounting firms do not provide very much in terms of non-salary benefits (medical, dental, optical, allowances, discounted loans, etc). The hours are long, the increments at manager level (IMO) are not fantastic, and the bonus is nothing to shout about also. They are good training grounds, but if you have no ambition to be a partner, you won't be seeing very much in terms of monetary rewards.

If you can secure a job in a MNC or conglomerate at management level, its a more comfortable environment in terms of working hours and basic benefits. At the every least, my current company provides medical expenses reimbursements for me, spouse and kids. The previous Big 4 I worked at only allowed medical claims for RM50 per visit, and only applicable to me.

Later on in life when you have dependents and more so if you have a wife and kids, the medical benefits help a lot in terms of maternity benefits, hospitalisation and vaccination of your newborns. Depending on the company you join, they may even help you along the way to owning your own car or house, or even share options if your company provide these as a form of reward.

I worked for 2 Big 4 firms over the span of 9 years and I have no regrets leaving for commercial. But at the same time, I do not regret the time I spent there because I would not have been able to land my current job without the experience gained in the firms.

This post has been edited by CKJMark: Nov 26 2010, 04:04 PM

I see, thanks again for your views and insight

Like what CKJ mentioned, tax would be a good choice if you would like to plan your work schedule and heck , even holiday in advance. That's because you'd be getting a portfolio which you are able to plan ahead on what should be done, by which deadline it should be met. Audit is more... you're in a certain engagement usually for a long duration and you'd be rushed on the job itself.

In terms of travelling, you'd probably only be going out to meet client most of the time as a despatch. Otherwise only seniors and above would usually be meeting the clients. Tax is really a very specialised industry and hence, the only people that usually would join Tax are the ones that would like routine and organised work.

Tax adds value to the company as you are able to do tax savings/planning for the company rather than audit, which is statutory by nature.

Depending on how much you like Tax, then you can decide where you would like to go. Just go to wherever you think you'd enjoy your work more. You cant progress if you dont like your work.
Choose wisely

i agrre with colintang99 if you not intrested in tax please dont join because it not merly calculation. u must have passion in analyst the tax case law and understand the public ruling.and constantly update the chances.

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Added on November 26, 2010, 5:18 pmCKJMark if work as an accountant in commercial iszit difficult for me to cope with if i only have experince in tax and prepared full set account for sdn bhd did not have any audit experince

This post has been edited by taxman: Nov 26 2010, 05:18 PM

Hi guys, please kindly advise...

I've sent in my resume by applying online to all the big 4s last week and early this week. I am only interested in audit so I applied for audit associate / assistant for all 4. I applied to Deloitte and they got back to me really fast! They called me like 3 days after I sent in my application and I was done with assessments and group activity within a week. Now I'm waiting for their offer. The rest has yet to get back to me even for assessment.

Is this normal as I thought it's hiring season now? My first choice really was PwC but I'm a bit worried now; it has been a week plus and they have yet to get back to me. Is it because am not qualified enough for them?

Thank you.

This post has been edited by Mika Sayuri: Nov 26 2010, 09:09 PM

All I can say that is Big4 is da goldmine for you to gain experiences and exposure in various industries, and choose da right one for your career development!

y i heard is deloitte is hiring tax ppl

I went for interview with KPMG last week. They got back to be the day after I sent in my application. however, I have not received reply from them yet. I called them to ask but they said they do not know the results yet. But I asked them when I was there they said they are not interviewing many people now. They have been for the past few months.

"Strictly for those applying to big4"
Please research the date you apply cos every big4 got different cutoff dates for promotion to absorb graduates at every level.
Why some reply fast or slow depends on this dates.

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Added on November 27, 2010, 5:46 pmThe current M&As really gave me a headache cos specialising in PDD area. But yeah, agree to a certain extent.

This post has been edited by Topace111: Nov 27 2010, 05:46 PM

Oh thanks Topace111! Well, I sent in my application on Fri 19th Nov - too late for PwC? I saw their website advertising for December intake so I still dont know if it's my grades? Would appreciate if someone can pretty please enlighten me on the "different cutoff dates for promotion" of PwC, EY and KPMG? What is the min CGPA I need to achieve for them to give me an interview opportunity?

I know it is my own fault for applying relatively late given that my last paper was at the end of Oct. However, I am working full time and pursuing my degree so I had too much work to catch up on after my exams & only managed to send in my CV last week Pls advise, I really cannot stay without a job; I must do something...

This post has been edited by Mika Sayuri: Nov 28 2010, 02:01 AM

They're currently recruiting for their March intake. Although I think it might be full as well, since they were already recruiting for it since October. And they keep telling me they have an excess of Audit applicants

Regarding CGPA...i think it depends. My grades are pretty bad, but I was still offered the assessment test with Deloitte. PwC tested me before looking at my grades, although I didn't apply for Audit, so that could partly be the reason.

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Thanks everyone for their advice on Tax! I'll be starting soon in Corp Tax, hope it'll be fun!

This post has been edited by morgana_jara: Nov 28 2010, 03:24 AM

That's good to hear. To which Big 4 you entered if I may ask?

It really depends on which tax department you are joining. Compliance would deal more on local tax reporting while Transfer Pricing deals more on cross border taxation. TP knowledge should be more valuable when you join MNC later.

Btw, Deloitte KassimChan is Tax Firm of the year in TP.

PwC

Hi, anyone working at PWC??
Who knows where LOT F , the parking lot nearby monorail?
I failed to search the exact location.