| Topic Name: |
Financial services vs Business Risk Services |
| Message Name: |
as always...it depends |
| Date Posted: |
09/16/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
Hey all,
I was wondering if anyone could tell me the benefits or otherwise of these two areas in accounting firms?
i'd like to know the comparison in the amount of time spent outside offices and time in it, hours in general, which one is more interesting (and why), which one has better prospects for higher positions (private or public) and which one pays more
I realise this is alot, any answer to anypart of these questions is much appreicated
Thanks for the help! |
| Message: |
razor7, you will work hard in public accounting. I think the 8 to 4pm work schedule is out-the-door. During busy season (which can range from a few months in the beginning of the year to the entire year for some poor, unlucky auditors), you can expect to work 10-12+ hours a day. Prepare to work as much as it takes to get the job done. Read some of the other posts, other people talk of about hours and all that good stuff.
Regarding your question about time spent in/out of the office, be prepared to spend nearly all your days out of the office. Depending on the size of your office, you may never see your co-workers you met on your first week, because they are all at the clients.
Regarding your question about "which one is more interesting," I cannot say yet, because I haven't actually started working in the Big4, but I will very soon. I did a private acctg internship for a real estate company and it was good exp learning how to compile financial statements. I can imagine that the hours in private accounting are "better," but you are not exposed to the wide variety of industries that public acctg provides. In the long run, I believe public accounting exp pays more. Try looking on craigslist, etc for accounting jobs and you will see that many employers require Big 4 exp and/or a CPA.
The sky's the limit in this world. Public accounting is just one of the paths to a great career. I don't care if you went to an Ivy or not, try to get into the Big 4, do a great job, network, network, network, and you can do anything (good luck doesn't hurt either): be a controller, CEO/CFO/COO, IB/PE or anything. I have friends who grad from the Univ. of Hawaii (of all freakn places) and they are doing just that. Follow your dream, razor7. Judging by your post, you have much to learn about the acctg industry. Check out your university's Beta Alpha Psi chapter and talk to people.
BTW, can you tell that I'm an optimist?
Best wishes!
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