It's normal for them to not reply any candidate that are not short-listed. I being trying to apply for the job in any big 4 for a year and never being successful (not even called for interview), some of them will reject you by email, some just do not seems any feedback. I try to call the HR and they said only will inform those short listed. Well, i gonna try mid-tier first and then only jump to big 4 (Currently a small firm). Wish good luck to me and to you.

You could try to call to those big 4 that you had applied and ask for the status.

They will let you know whether they are recruiting now or you need to wait for the next recruiting period.

I did call KPMG this week and being noticed that they will only start recruiting at June and will only inform those shortlisted candidate by around May.


By the way, all the best ya

I do believe that there is a calculation model for Any Audit firm in earning the expected Profit Margin (Those Big Boss mind set or event Global Partnership Requirement)

Extracted from MIA Accountant Today



By the way, the data is related to the FY 2019.

If Based on this calculation, if a audit firm need to have at least 25% Net Profit Margin, they will need to take into account of their own Costing (Staff cost, rental, Leasing of printing machine/laptop, water, electricity and etc).

Bigger firm might have much more complex model and based on this in calculating the Charge out rate as per above mentioned.

For example, the charge rate of below:

Junior Associate RM 150 per hour
Senior Associate RM 250 per hour
Assistant Manager/Manager RM 400 per hour and etc.

Noted that in Big 4 or even Mid-Tier, the boss or Manager don't even tell you the target Revenue needed, you just do the work as per instructed. (Perhaps you generated more than the Revenue that you are really targeted for).

From my Senior Manager from one of the Big 4, "Audit Industry is not a place that you come to earn a lot of Salary unless you sit inside the Room (Partner/Director)".

In the end, Audit is also a business where you boss want their Profit Sharing, low recoverability rate from the engagement will cause less profit sharing. (Somehow unhealthy for long term, that why i would foresee that less applicant will join into Audit, its just a matters of Time.

Look at KPMG Singapore increase the Paid scale of Fresh Graduate by 20% as i think that no 1 wish to join into Big 4 anymore.

Finishing 9 Fundamental Paper of ACCA do granted you similar qualification as per Degree holder. Therefore he should be applying for Associate position.

If he keen in getting into Big 4 or Mid Tiers firms and getting greater chances to get into those sizable firms, finishing ACCA do granted him a better chances.

Hope this clarified with my 2 cent of opinion.