Help me with my career... please! (1 Viewer)

[khosanman]

Well, for those of you who have read my last posts on this you will know my story.

I am a mid 2005 accounting / banking and finance double degree graduate from Monash University. I spend 2006 working overseas in europe in an accounting and international taxation job where I didnt learn much. And now I am working as an auditor in a BRW top 30 accounting firm where I have been for only a month.

And in taht time I have come to the conclusion I hate accounting, in particular auditing. And I really want to get out.

I .really enjoy equities, and would love some sort of an equity analyst position, you know researching equities etc, sooner rather than later.

So please all id really appreciate some advice on how I could go about getting a job like this here in melbourne based on the above.

Look forward to hearing from you guys and your advice.

 

[Newbie]

do you have any friends who are willing to go to bat for you ? thats the easiest way for non-students

 

[Omnidragon]

just apply. there are heaps of securities firms.

 

[khosanman]

What do you mean, of I know a friend working at a firm already?


And to the next reply, yes there are heaps of securities firms, but not many advertising or wanting for graduate roles.

But thanks for the replies all..


Any other ideas?

 

[Rorix]

There's plenty of ER roles out there..! Any firm which does funds management should have some ER positions. Do any of your alums have positions where they might be able to ask a few questions for you? Do you have access to a headhunter? You can always contact a recruitment firm to discretely search for opportunities for you (although I am still at Uni, I have dealt with Robert Half Finance & Accounting and have found them to be quite professional, I think they have an office in Melb)

Might be a tough sell on your CV leaving after 1 month, but you've gotta live with what you've got..

NB: Disclaimer: still a university student.

 

[khosanman]

Well I have looked everywhere and cant find these roles for someone of my experience as I described above. Not in melbourne anyway

This is really dissapointing, I just wish they were willing to give someone a go who is really passionate about this.

 

[Rorix]

There are ER roles for grads. I'm pretty sure there would be some in Melbourne. [Might be tough outside of graduate recruitment time though]

 

[khosanman]

Exactly, and then when its grad time its fulof competition anyway.

I have the possibility of getting a compliance officer position with a securities firm, but not sure if I should go for it.

Should I stick with audit, or would that experience be just as good. The way I see it is audit experience would prove more beneficial when going for an ER or corporate finance rule, but im not sure. What do you all think?

 

[jpr333]

That's a tough one indeed, what's the least you can do apply for positions and hope for the best? You don't necessarily have to leave your big 4 job to apply. Private equity is in these days im told, and not too bad hours wise from what i've heard. Have you looked into it?

 

[Rorix]

I don't think a PE firm would be looking for a guy working in audit with no ibanking experience.

Sure, theres a lot of competition, but what do you expect! To be handed a job? IMO you should continue on with this job and covertly interview at other places, don't qut until you've got something lined up [obviously]

Or just try and stick it out at audit for a couple years so you can come in as an experienced hire.

 

[khosanman]

IM not with a big 4, as I said my firm is only a 20 something.

Private equity would be awesome, but I think the laters post is right, they would not be interested.

By the way I have applied for quite a few jobs, but don't even seem to get replies in a lot of instances, and this is reply to direct advertisements from companies, not necessarily recruitment agents.

stivking it out in audit for a couple of years wont be easy.

 

[khosanman]

And another thing is, I am going to have to start my CA, and I don't want to do this because I'm not even gonna stick it out in accounting, so it seems a waste. And I really want to do a CFA instead, so I feel like ill be wasting time on a CA when I could be doing a CFA which I'd enjoy much more.

Life's a bitch.

 

[pete_mate]

move to sydney perhaps, much bigger than melbourne in equities/ all finance.

 

[khosanman]

yeh I know sydney looks like a much better job market then melbourne, infact for some reason most other cities look better then here. I dont get why there is so much less opportunity here.

But as I said earlier, I just got back from over a year overseas and would like to stay here with my family and friends

 

[Conspirocy]

you can apply for most grad programs up to 2 years out of uni. So if i were you I would stick it out where you are, because you don't want too much change on your cv, then wait for the grad positions and try for those. I would say your best bet would be with the major banks due to your work in audit. Don't worry about the competition when it is grad recruitment season, you have an edge over a lof of people having worked, plus you would probably be starting you CA/CPA for accounting since you would have worked in audit 9 plus months. Worst case scenario you get you CA/CPA at the accounting firm and then make the move. I can see how this would be boring but I'm very confident you would get a job at a major bank. Investment banks will always be competetive, just a fact of life.

 

[khosanman]

Yeh thanks abovefor the advice.

Only problem now is that I am probably going to have to head over to scandinavia in 15 months, because of my gf, she will need to go back to complete her studies. That's if we are still together. So I'll have to interrupt my CA if I go there. And I thats also why I dont really wanna start my CA, but hey maybe I will find with 15 months audit experience here this will open up some good opportunities in europe.

 

[Conspirocy]

Dude honestly lose the gf would be my advice, if you're already stuffing up your career for that...sorry if that sounds harsh but common, your basing decisions that affect the rest of your life on your gf, what is she giving you in return. I probably don't know the full story, but I would think your work would be more important than her studies. Anyway I'm a massive dick for saying that, but still I beleive it.

 

[Newbie]

would she dump you if you were unemployed?

 

[khosanman]

I see what your saying man.

But she is dropping her studies for a year to come here and be with me.

Plus shes swedish and shes hot dude!

 

[Newbie]

you didnt tell us that before! HEHE