Having a career at one of the Big 4 Accounting firms is not an easy task to accomplish. You need to have the basic requirements out of the way, undergraduate degree, eligibility to sit for the CPA exam, etc. However, beyond the minimum requirements, what are the most important things you can do when looking for a job with one of these firms? I am going to tell you.
I've been assisting students in their quest to get hired at these accounting firms for more than five years (since 2008). I tell my coachees the same things need to be accomplished each time we start out in our coaching. If you want to work for the big 4, you must have a stellar resume, prepared intensely for the interview, and have a built a compelling personal story.
The most important piece of this journey is the story. What is the reason that you have chosen this career and are applying to this firm? While this may sound abstract, it is not. What you tell the recruiter, they will repeat to every partner and manager in the firm. You need to have a compelling reason for why you chose this career. If it is because your father owns a CPA firm, or your aunt is a partner at one of the Big 4, that will work. If you are a first generation accountant, why are you choosing this profession? Do you love the classes? Excited about learning about companies? Are you interested in auditing because you want to work with public companies? Whatever it is, make sure it sounds good and can be repeated by the recruiters over and over.
The story is the second piece of this hiring puzzle. Why did you chose this career? The way you answer that questions will affect your chances. The recruiters repeat the story to every employee in the firm when they are considering who to hire. You need an interesting reason for why you chose accounting and specifically their firm. If it is because your family owns a CPA firm, or your dad was a CFO, that may work for you. If you are the first person in your family to be an accountant, you should ask yourself: why did I choose accounting? Do I love the school work? Am I excited about working with large companies? Come up with your reason, and make it a compelling story that sounds good!
Finally, the interview preparation is the third most important piece when obtaining the job. The resume and the story should be enough to get you in the door for the interview. However, without dedicated and thorough preparation for the interview, it will end in shambles. The questions interviewers ask are the same, and at Big 4 Guru, we have all of them. Not to mention the questions you should be asking the interview, we have those too!
I've been assisting students in their quest to get hired at these accounting firms for more than five years (since 2008). I tell my coachees the same things need to be accomplished each time we start out in our coaching. If you want to work for the big 4, you must have a stellar resume, prepared intensely for the interview, and have a built a compelling personal story.
The most important piece of this journey is the story. What is the reason that you have chosen this career and are applying to this firm? While this may sound abstract, it is not. What you tell the recruiter, they will repeat to every partner and manager in the firm. You need to have a compelling reason for why you chose this career. If it is because your father owns a CPA firm, or your aunt is a partner at one of the Big 4, that will work. If you are a first generation accountant, why are you choosing this profession? Do you love the classes? Excited about learning about companies? Are you interested in auditing because you want to work with public companies? Whatever it is, make sure it sounds good and can be repeated by the recruiters over and over.
The story is the second piece of this hiring puzzle. Why did you chose this career? The way you answer that questions will affect your chances. The recruiters repeat the story to every employee in the firm when they are considering who to hire. You need an interesting reason for why you chose accounting and specifically their firm. If it is because your family owns a CPA firm, or your dad was a CFO, that may work for you. If you are the first person in your family to be an accountant, you should ask yourself: why did I choose accounting? Do I love the school work? Am I excited about working with large companies? Come up with your reason, and make it a compelling story that sounds good!
Finally, the interview preparation is the third most important piece when obtaining the job. The resume and the story should be enough to get you in the door for the interview. However, without dedicated and thorough preparation for the interview, it will end in shambles. The questions interviewers ask are the same, and at Big 4 Guru, we have all of them. Not to mention the questions you should be asking the interview, we have those too!
About the Author:
For more information on Big 4 Guru's tips on getting hired with Big 4 Accounting Firms, go to his website with eBooks, Resume Coaching, mock interviews, and more. Big 4 Guru has worked with thousands of students get hired by the Big 4 by selling his eBooks, and performing personal coaching.
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