Currently exploring other job options besides audit. Been doing it for 6 months and I couldn't stand it. Can anyone tell me what is forensic accounting like in big 4?

Typical work responsibilities and job tasks? Typical
work life? Do they hire fresh grads with only 6 months of audit background? How hard is it to get in? Does the job criteria fulfill the requirements to be a chartered accountant?

Thank you!

Heard Deloitte Audit is divided into 3 Groups. Which Group is the best ?

Depends what kind of clientele and colleagues you want. Got one pool where its full of chinese, always speak in dialect. Another deal with government jobs more. even if youre in those groups, things may change also. Deloitte pools are not segregated as per industry like other firms.\

And also in terms of promotion, youll be pit against people from your pool.

This post has been edited by crystalfenix: Dec 18 2016, 07:41 PM

even during early years as junior staff? I heard promote to senior within 2-3 years is the norm. Or you mean from senior to assistant manager?

Throughout your career youll be compared. Why fear competition. Lol.

And when I say pit against your own pool meaning if like your pool ppl willing to work until late night, or even throw their health away for work. If compared against someone who doesnt do that, who you think will get promoted. Lol.

Lol I see what you mean now

I thought you said like they have quota to fill position. but I do heard a friend was refused promotion coz of health issue n unable to work til late as often as others.

I would say as long as you can pass up your deliverables on time. Should be no problem.

Quota I dont think will be a problem, as audit always high turnover.

Very rarely the whole team so elite until someone elite also. As long as you can prove OT not = high performer, should be okay.

Wonder how quick can one be promoted as Manager and Senior Manager.
Managers in Big 4 should be young.

Any idea what is the increment like in big 4 from associate 1 to associate 2?

Small, but will increase after reaching senior

Career progression for average performer, can be faster or slower depending on performance:
From fresh grad to senior - 2 years
From senior to AM - 2 years
From AM to M - 2 years
From M to SM - 2 years

After that is very much by merit and whether or not the bosses like you

Personally I've met a 4.5 year manager but the poor girl burnt out quickly and I'm guessing basically does not have the emotional maturity to handle managerial role. Sometimes it's not a good thing to expedite promotion even if the person is a star performer.

The 2 year Am thing is relatively new (they changed it every few years.). Back when I was still in big 4 it's only 1 year, so by 25 I was already a manager, but as they say, it's not an easy job, and many of us burn out very quickly.

I think it depends on which Big4 you are referring to, apparently the firm you came from changed it back to 6 years because they realise whilst it attracted talent, they couldn't retain when they promote people too quickly. Gotta say the steepest curve is when you become a manager

Anyway, I just counted my years properly and I was made manager in 4.5 years. So the girl I was referring to must have made manager in 4 years

I heard a different story.

What I hear is that basically the firm received too many complaints that the quality of the audit managers were not up to standard. The harshest complaints came from ex-audit managers who have left the firm and joined commercial, becoming the firm's clients. These old-timers were comparing the current audit managers to the audit managers of their era, which were more experienced by the time they hit manager level.

So the firm decided that average AMs should stay 1 more year to gather more experience before being promoted to managers.

This post has been edited by ComingBackSoon: Dec 23 2016, 12:24 PM

Is it a lot of people that left after a year? What is the option thereafter?

my friend says his brother failed his final professional paper and only promoted to AM in his 5.5 years there. He left after half year

I supposed it's the same story from different perspective. the managers may not be up to standard because they do not have enough experience, because we are talking about average performers, not high performers. In the end, although more people would be motivated to stay for longer than 3 years, it is still lose lose situation when they become managers and leave almost immediately.

So I believe their revised solution is to higher more juniors so they keep the good ones for longer instead of slave drive the good ones and they leave prematurely.

Leave after a year you don't get far at all, would still be account exec level. I never understand why would anyone leave after a year, but there are more and more people doing that. They are just determined that they hate audit

Yup, in my past posts I did mention about the importance of completing your professional papers. Your promotion would be delayed. It is a firm HR policy across most big4, even the top performer would suffer. So the most important thing in your first 3 years is, whatever happens, exam comes first

Hi can i know the HR name?

Why do you want to know the HR person name?

I always thought the motivation to stay in the firm is that one day they can leave (to a better place), quite ironic.

This post has been edited by Topace111: Dec 28 2016, 02:41 PM