Q: Big4 - Yearly salary increment

Originally Posted by Unregistered

At PwC, you will assist in external audit during peak periods for associate and work on internal audit during off-peak times. If you start at A1 level, you will likely be assigned to government projects like MOE as a stepping stone. Easier life during off peak but crazy during external audit peak.

At EY/DT, expect to manage numerous IA engagements, up to 5, even at the associate level. They have recently split their engagements & managers by sector, resulting in specialization. If you are placed in a sector you prefer, great. Otherwise, it can be challenging and you will sulk working for the same people over and over again. Expect a year-round peak workload.

For KPMG, they have the best Worklife balance and I would say has the best life among the B4 internal audit. However, they do not secure as many engagement compared to other B4 as they are not that aggressive in low balling. However, getting an offer from KPMG might be challenging due to their smaller client base.

Hope you find it useful!

Wow, thank you so much! That was very helpful!

To give a bit of a background, I'm actually a mid-career switcher from a completely unrelated industry. I've never done audit or accounting before, but I've been given a Senior Associate role.

Would you know how difficult it would be to pick up the relevant skills? I''m especially concerned about the amount of IT-related work that would have to be done. What would you advise for someone who's entering the industry as a mid-career joiner? I know most people who jump into IA typically do it from external audit.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Wow, thank you so much! That was very helpful!

To give a bit of a background, I'm actually a mid-career switcher from a completely unrelated industry. I've never done audit or accounting before, but I've been given a Senior Associate role.

Would you know how difficult it would be to pick up the relevant skills? I''m especially concerned about the amount of IT-related work that would have to be done. What would you advise for someone who's entering the industry as a mid-career joiner? I know most people who jump into IA typically do it from external audit.

What did you jump from? I know someone who jumped from cyber and said it's "completely unrelated" too, otherwise why would they pay you a senior salary?

Left big 4 for a few years. Is now the era where the associates are no longer straight A’s students in uni already?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What did you jump from? I know someone who jumped from cyber and said it's "completely unrelated" too, otherwise why would they pay you a senior salary?

I was from Marketing! I probably got this gig because of a referral.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Left big 4 for a few years. Is now the era where the associates are no longer straight A’s students in uni already?

Correct.

The elite batch long gone already.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

At PwC, you will assist in external audit during peak periods for associate and work on internal audit during off-peak times. If you start at A1 level, you will likely be assigned to government projects like MOE as a stepping stone. Easier life during off peak but crazy during external audit peak.

At EY/DT, expect to manage numerous IA engagements, up to 5, even at the associate level. They have recently split their engagements & managers by sector, resulting in specialization. If you are placed in a sector you prefer, great. Otherwise, it can be challenging and you will sulk working for the same people over and over again. Expect a year-round peak workload.

For KPMG, they have the best Worklife balance and I would say has the best life among the B4 internal audit. However, they do not secure as many engagement compared to other B4 as they are not that aggressive in low balling. However, getting an offer from KPMG might be challenging due to their smaller client base.

Hope you find it useful!

EY has numerous different internal audit department.
As far as i know, they do not manage 5 engagements, except you are managers.
Associates and senior manage 1 to 2 engagements only.

But the main issue is the back logs and delays. For example, you are in engagement B currently, but you are following up on engagement A and doing up the report etc.

Nevertheless, life is still better than external audit.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Left big 4 for a few years. Is now the era where the associates are no longer straight A’s students in uni already?

Correct. It's rejects with poor critical thinking skills now. Lots of things changed after covid. New joiners mindset, client mindset.

Back logs are also worse after covid. Client delays are super bad these days so you could have 5 different clients to work on at the same time. Back then they're more gungho but I think they realize they can drag after the whole wfh and covid thing.

currently working as an IT auditor associate, but workload really siao, want to jump but can jump to where? Was thinking jumping to finance but idk if got hope since skill set so different

Originally Posted by Unregistered

currently working as an IT auditor associate, but workload really siao, want to jump but can jump to where? Was thinking jumping to finance but idk if got hope since skill set so different

Compliance, risk, internal audit. B4 workload sucks

For those who suffered panic attacks during peak, any tips on overcoming it and catching up on work? It's getting more and more frequent to the extent my workday is affected. Can they ask you to leave the firm immediately without 1 month notice if they think your performance is not up to scratch?