Accounting Job Prospects? (2 Viewers)

[Rosenbaum]

A credit average + midtier experience is more than enough to get a grad position. The big 4 will understand the fact you have less time for extracurriculars given you work fulltime.

The question is - why do you want to leave WHK? Seems like a decent firm and youre guaranteed a grad position anyway...

Hi, thanks for your input - hearing that a credit average at a rural university and a cadetship might get me into the Big 4 is really encouraging!

WHK is a great firm that is focused on giving their employees a balanced work and play lifestyle. Most people work 7.5 hours to 9 hours in a minimal stress environment in my office. I just feel like I want to be a part of an office that really challenges me to work longer and harder for more reward and opportunity. If that means working on weekends or 9 hours plus for a promotion - i'm game! Also, the Big 4 may offer overseas travel opportunities whereas WHK as a mid-tier would not.

 

[seremify007]

Hi, thanks for your input - hearing that a credit average at a rural university and a cadetship might get me into the Big 4 is really encouraging!

WHK is a great firm that is focused on giving their employees a balanced work and play lifestyle. Most people work 7.5 hours to 9 hours in a minimal stress environment in my office. I just feel like I want to be a part of an office that really challenges me to work longer and harder for more reward and opportunity. If that means working on weekends or 9 hours plus for a promotion - i'm game! Also, the Big 4 may offer overseas travel opportunities whereas WHK as a mid-tier would not.

Good reasons IMO. If you are seeking more challenging issues whether it be accounting for financial instruments or impairment/going concern analysis, aim for the bigger divisions in the big 4 (i.e. not the middle market divisions).

 

[Rosenbaum]

I'd like to beef up my resume to increase my chances. I figured that having experience from my rural city only might not be recognised as well as experience from Sydney which is why I'm attending the FIFA World Cup Fan Fest in darling harbor as a volunteer (hand out fliers, crowd control, info booth etc) after exams this semester.

Can anyone suggest certain extra curricular activities that big 4 reciters might look fondly upon?

 

[17028354]

I'd like to beef up my resume to increase my chances. I figured that having experience from my rural city only might not be recognised as well as experience from Sydney which is why I'm attending the FIFA World Cup Fan Fest in darling harbor as a volunteer (hand out fliers, crowd control, info booth etc) after exams this semester.

Can anyone suggest certain extra curricular activities that big 4 reciters might look fondly upon?

volunteer to bookkeep for charities

 

[Rosenbaum]

volunteer to bookkeep for charities

Yeah, good idea. I'd much rather volunteer experience that exposes me to more social focused activities though. Being quite the hermit with work and study lately.

 

[17028354]

Yeah, good idea. I'd much rather volunteer experience that exposes me to more social focused activities though. Being quite the hermit with work and study lately.

well do whatever interests you then.

social justice.

disadvantaged youths
disabled
elderly
indigenous australians

 

[fishfingerz]

so just to clarify, the cadetship applications are closing soon. should i apply for any of them? is it necessary to do it now? can't i wait till my first year of uni and then apply??

 

[17028354]

so just to clarify, the cadetship applications are closing soon. should i apply for any of them? is it necessary to do it now? can't i wait till my first year of uni and then apply??

nah don't bother, unless they're one of those

'we'll pay for your uni degree, you work for us for two years, and work for us when you're studying 4 hours a week'.


if it's just those summer cadetships, (where you work in a firm for a few months)most of them only accept 2nd or 3rd year accounting students anyway lol

 

[seremify007]

so just to clarify, the cadetship applications are closing soon. should i apply for any of them? is it necessary to do it now? can't i wait till my first year of uni and then apply??

Of course you can apply for them. And remember that cadetships are targeted at year 12 students, and only where there is a need to do an additional top up of recruitment, will they offer it to first year students. Typically the number of positions is far more limited when they are offering it to first years. In other words, if you really are committed to this then apply now whilst you're in year 12- believe me when I say your time doesn't get easier next year when you're in uni

nah don't bother, unless they're one of those

'we'll pay for your uni degree, you work for us for two years, and work for us when you're studying 4 hours a week'.


if it's just those summer cadetships, (where you work in a firm for a few months)most of them only accept 2nd or 3rd year accounting students anyway lol

Those "summer cadetships" you refer to are actually internships/vacation work experience.

 

[lsdpoon1337]

Of course you can apply for them. And remember that cadetships are targeted at year 12 students, and only where there is a need to do an additional top up of recruitment, will they offer it to first year students. Typically the number of positions is far more limited when they are offering it to first years. In other words, if you really are committed to this then apply now whilst you're in year 12- believe me when I say your time doesn't get easier next year when you're in uni

hmm...not 100% sure I can agree with this. Around half of the 1st year cadets this year in audit had already finished 1 year of full-time university. However, this is more an exception rather than a norm from comparing other intakes. This being said I know that at other firms cadets (that got an offer in yr 12) commence employment after studying 1 year of uni. Whilst at my firm cadets start in the feb or january of the following year once offer is released. I think applying during your 1st year of uni dosen't neccessarily get easier or harder. The content (though basic) learnt at uni can be used to an advantage over candidates who are in yr 12 who probably have no idea what debits and credits are in that you'll perhaps be able to better articulate why you want to pursue accounting or demonstrate company research with relevance to the accounting industry etc etc. However, I've come to realise that things such as marks, extra-curriculars etc come easier in yr 12 compared to uni so a 98-99 ATAR estimate would look much better than a high credit average in 1st year uni, even though it takes more effort (in my opinion) to achieve the latter.