What do you want to know?

This post has been edited by toffeeman: Jun 27 2017, 12:26 PM

Hi. Is anyone here interested in joining Singaporean Big Four firms? If there's anyone who's currently working with one of them, can share any insights?

hi all,

i applied for PwC around at the start of june and received a reply that says that they're reviewing my application 2 weeks later. since it was raya holidays, i gave them few more days but i havent heard from them

so i decided to be more proactive (ok only after reading this thread) i called twice just now and got through! (caught me by surprise bc i thought no one would pick up like the first time before lunchtime)

the lady who picked up my call sounded friednly and asked for my name to search in their database. she even asked me to spell my name lol. then she said 'i'll ask the recruiter to call you back". i was still shocked and too nervous at this point.. so i said great and thanks for your help (something like that). END

does that mean i will get a call? or is that just a nice way to say i got rejected? (i called this afternoob and i know maybe she might be too busy to get back today but im so freaking nervous!)

HR currently is having its peak season(july), so they might not able to review on your application. You can try call back on August to ask for further progress.

Hello, I actually went for an interview session in PwC yesterday for the Audit Associate position for the September intake , I would say the interview session went quite smoothly. I'm just curious about how many people will PwC recruit from about 10 of us who went for the interview? Thanks

This post has been edited by snowdaniel01: Jul 6 2017, 08:28 PM

thanks for the reply my bf is telling me stay positive on it but my parents are telling me to giv up on PwC.. i already feel like i'm being rejected when i saw the above post on going for the pwc interview

double post -deleted-

This post has been edited by kanikani: Jul 10 2017, 04:59 PM

usually for big4, they will have 2 main intake per year which is Sept and April. However, there are adhoc intakes, and this is usually before the peak period as they need more headcount. So if you are interested in audit, they usually will consider take in people from Aug to Dec so that they have the manpower to audit the December year end companies.

Hi guys, I would like my situation to be analyzed, here goes:

Objective: Audit associate position in PWC

Situation:
My degree CGPA is currently around 3.1, in my final semester I failed 1 paper (so close to become a graduate) due to absurd exam questions being set by the stubborn lecturer.

My total resit count will be 2, after including the paper in final semester, I cleared my previous resit, the last resit will be in Sept.

On the other hand, I've passed my P123, the result for the remaining 2 papers will be known on 17th July (1 week left).


Questions:
1. Assuming I passed all ACCA papers, is it likely for PWC to accept me? Even I haven't completed my degree?

2. Assuming I finished both ACCA and degree, will my low CGPA affect my chance?

3. Assuming I failed ACCA (1 or 2 paper remaining), which means I neither have ACCA nor degree, can I still shamelessly apply for it and get through it? My friend advised me that I may get through by showing confidence (eg: telling them surely I will pass the remaining papers sooner or later anyway). Is it true?

4. How long should I expect to wait for them to accept me? (I'm told around 4/5 months)

5. Can I expect to find a girlfriend during my time in PWC?

This post has been edited by Sasuke95: Jul 10 2017, 09:24 PM

1. ACCA > degree, so generally yes if base on education.

2. Not really.

3. U can still apply for it. But I will recommend you to complete either ACCA or degree 1st because your starting salary is strongly affected by this factor. Most graduate don't really able to complete their professional paper before joining big4. plus big4 usually will have ACCA annual subscription( need further confirmation).

4. Once applied, you can occasionally call to HR to ask for progress.

5. you can meet a lot of people but no time for dating. LOL

Thank you for the reply, appreciated it.

1. As an ACCA holder, will my starting salary higher than those went in with only Degree?

2. I will have no time to the extent that even weekends are not my days? (what's the point of life), so likely single until leave big 4 for corporate/commercial world?

3. Should I be careful of office politics? Also I wish to know how they interview, I scare I fck up.

4. Anything useful you can tell me? I wish to know.

This post has been edited by Sasuke95: Jul 10 2017, 11:10 PM

1. yes and you will have more free time compare to other degree graduate as All Big4 require their graduate to attend classes on weekend to pass their ACCA.

2. I assume that you don't do enough background research of big4 culture in Malaysia. Joining big4 is for exposure and learning. It is common that being an auditor wont give you much free time especially during peak season. Most people can't withstand the workload and time-pressure and eventually resign after few years of working. Even your hiring manager will ask about your readiness to work late during your interview. If you need those work-life balance, better don't apply for big4.

3. Be good to everyone. That's it.

4. read this forum. It contains a lot of useful information that you need to know if you want to become one of the Big4 member.

1. How much do you think I will be getting?

2. I understand. Currently what I have in my mind is that after I worked for 3 years and get that ACCA membership, I will leave for corporate world for a good jump in salary. In your opinion is it advisable? If no, how long would you suggest? Kindly draw both an ordinary path and an optimal path for me.

okay! i will try to call in again soon thanks for the info ya, i read about a guy with the same situation in this thread but he didnt update on what happened in the end. i honestly thought i was already rejected since they didn't call back.

This post has been edited by kanikani: Jul 11 2017, 10:11 AM

1. depend on which big4 you applied. starting salary for ACCA + degree graduate in KPMG is 3k. others should be around this range. Without both of the qualification will only entitle for 2k above.

2. In fact, most of the people do so. They just spend all their time in 1st few years learning and studying in big4, trying to get as much experience and exposure as possible. After that, they leave for work-life balance company. "good jump in salary" for corporate world is true, however, for short-term benefit. The salary being big4 after 10 years of service is huge different compare to 3 years of big4 + 7 years of corporate service. This is really up to personal decision that which factor you care the most: corporate world with higher chances of life and sufficient income or big4 with little life and great income.

Thank you for replying my questions patiently up to this point, appreciated it, not all people are willing to entertain my never-ending-question attitude.
As you know, I'm always hunger for knowledge, and I'm willing and daring to ask, not sure if this is a good thing though.
I would say I'm still digging continuously for info related to big 4, it'll help tremendously if I directly ask you here:

1. If that's the case then too bad, but I asked 1 of my ex-tutor and she told me ACCA overrides degree, and I will be getting as much as 3300 as starting, not true? It is very very sad if the damned degree dragged me down even if I have my ACCA.

2. Hmm I would need an estimation of the figures of both options after 10 years to justify my decision, how big is the difference? Personally for now I would favor more on health because health cannot be bought, there is no point of earning high while your body is damaged beyond repair. I'm told that working until 2am is normal. It is only acceptable to me if my workload reduces as I become more senior in big 4.

3. I saw somewhere saying that the bonus is great, as great as a few months salary, I wish to know more on this, maybe certain condition has to be fulfilled, I'm not sure.

4. I'm told that a car is a must if want to work in big 4 as you have to travel to client's office often. I'm also aware that people work as a team in big 4. My question is, if all of my team members have car, who's gonna drive? We drive separately? And what about those without car?

5. How do we actually do our work there? By excel or some other software? I saw some people have godlike speed in doing excel, do we actually have to be that fast?

6. I'm aware that advisory line give much better salary than audit, so at the end which is better? audit or advisory?

This post has been edited by Sasuke95: Jul 11 2017, 04:02 PM

hi, i am a degree holder and left 3 acca p papers. i applied for kpmg but i didnt meet their requirement for audit associate and they suggest me to apply for audit admin. should i really go for audit admin then hoping to transfer to audit associate once i complete all the p papers? is there any chances they will allow me to transfer in future?

1. That's true. ACCA more better than degree in term of education. Starting salary usually will fix at 2.8k and small portion of increment for professional paper completed. If big4 able to give up to 3.3k , meaning that the candidate must be extremely excellent candidate like getting awards in his/her professional paper.

2. 5 digit and 4 digit. imagine yourself. working until 2am is common during peak season only. If everyday work until 2am, all masuk hospital already.

3. few months salary only for those manager level and above. Don't care so much on this factor, focus on learning.

4. depend on your team. Usually fresh entries won't go and work alone at client's office.

5. not everyone work like godlike speed at the beginning. However, you must able to grow and work at a very fast pace.

6. My advise: Never chose career by comparing their salary. Pick what you like to do. Not only advisory, Tax associate also receive higher salary compare than audit. Are you going to switch to tax ? A kind remainder for you: one can't switch his/her career after few years of service in particular line as what you learn in that particular line is totally different with other field of service.

This post has been edited by tankwek: Jul 11 2017, 08:20 PM

Do you ask for feedback from KPMG on which requirement you don't meet ? Audit admin seems like internal audit for me (internal audit can be very boring). If possible, try go for audit associate, at least you can travel to other place and enjoy makan at different place. Can try apply for other big4.

I'm thinking to straight study ICAEW(for the last 3 advanced papers), after my ACCA is done.

If I tell this to the recruiters during the interview session. Is it possible for me to get a sponsor from them or even getting higher chance to secure a job?

AFAIK, I've never seen anyone do this route. Which idiot straight wanna get ICAEW after completing ACCA. /s

Edit: Assuming the company is one of the Big4 in KL

This post has been edited by SmallPenguin: Jul 11 2017, 09:28 PM