Q: Big4 - Yearly salary increment

No distinction according to Class of Honors known yet.
Fresh grad joined in june 2015

Y1 associate: $2,800
Y2 associate: $3,200
Y1 Senior associate: $4,100
Y2 Senior associate: $4,600
Assistant Manager: $5,200

Hello all

Just a question: Is it a must for you to be majoring in accounting to be employed in the big 4? I'm currently a student in local university majoring in sociology.

I love how this forum allows unregistered postings, which allows for unbashful disclosure and sharing. Just sharing a part of my professional life below, hoping it would benefit someone out there:

2011 - Big 4 audit - associate 1 - 2,800 (bonus 1.15)
2012 - Big 4 audit - associate 2 - 3,200 (bonus 0)
2013 - Bank – treasury analyst - 3,800 (bonus 0)
2014 - Consultancy firm - associate - 4,500 (bonus 6)
2015 - Consultancy firm – asst manager – 6,000 (bonus 8)
2016 - Consultancy firm – manager – 8,000 (bonus 5.5)

Big 4 audit:
During my first year in big4, it was amazing, because no where else gives you a ‘cohort’ scenario of 50-100 odd people coming in at the same time. I have made lifelong friends there. Everything else in the big4? Hated it. Audit was just not for me somehow. I was underperforming, slept on the job, produced poor quality of work, and senior manager had his daily shouting sessions criticising my work. In all honesty, he had the right to. During my second year as an A2, I was told that I would not be promoted. Depression hit and I resigned in a heartbeat.

Bank analyst:
Comfortable hours, ending 6-630 everyday. Had OT pay of (35 dollars/hour) clocking in after 6PM. Day in day out just churning bank reports. However I only lasted 6 months there. Too rigid and boring. Learning curve was non-existing.

Consulting:
Took two steps back by joining as accountant in a corporate advisory firm. Things took a turn. Work was interesting, worked my arse off because I wanted to. All of a sudden, concerns over hours/salary/politics just melts away because job satisfaction just kicks in. Before I knew it, I was promoted every year and working on interesting deals, including op/financial restructuring, refinancing and currently working to IPO a turned-around company now.

My takeaway from all this – The big4 is not cut out for everyone but on the other hand, it might provide you the learning experience both on a professional and personal basis to move on to the next milestone in life.

Hi guys. Who is from Infinity Assurance LLP here? How much do they offer for audit Associate y2? Thanks a lot.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I love how this forum allows unregistered postings, which allows for unbashful disclosure and sharing. Just sharing a part of my professional life below, hoping it would benefit someone out there:

2011 - Big 4 audit - associate 1 - 2,800 (bonus 1.15)
2012 - Big 4 audit - associate 2 - 3,200 (bonus 0)
2013 - Bank – treasury analyst - 3,800 (bonus 0)
2014 - Consultancy firm - associate - 4,500 (bonus 6)
2015 - Consultancy firm – asst manager – 6,000 (bonus 8)
2016 - Consultancy firm – manager – 8,000 (bonus 5.5)

Big 4 audit:
During my first year in big4, it was amazing, because no where else gives you a ‘cohort’ scenario of 50-100 odd people coming in at the same time. I have made lifelong friends there. Everything else in the big4? Hated it. Audit was just not for me somehow. I was underperforming, slept on the job, produced poor quality of work, and senior manager had his daily shouting sessions criticising my work. In all honesty, he had the right to. During my second year as an A2, I was told that I would not be promoted. Depression hit and I resigned in a heartbeat.

Bank analyst:
Comfortable hours, ending 6-630 everyday. Had OT pay of (35 dollars/hour) clocking in after 6PM. Day in day out just churning bank reports. However I only lasted 6 months there. Too rigid and boring. Learning curve was non-existing.

Consulting:
Took two steps back by joining as accountant in a corporate advisory firm. Things took a turn. Work was interesting, worked my arse off because I wanted to. All of a sudden, concerns over hours/salary/politics just melts away because job satisfaction just kicks in. Before I knew it, I was promoted every year and working on interesting deals, including op/financial restructuring, refinancing and currently working to IPO a turned-around company now.

My takeaway from all this – The big4 is not cut out for everyone but on the other hand, it might provide you the learning experience both on a professional and personal basis to move on to the next milestone in life.

******** bonus

Hi guys, I am new to big 4. Does anyone know if big 4 gives AWS or do they only have performance bonus?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi guys, I am new to big 4. Does anyone know if big 4 gives AWS or do they only have performance bonus?

No AWS. Only performance bonus.

[SG_User]

Sorry if this may be off-topic

Currently I am in my studies while working full time in a SME doing accounts job (AP and AR). Now I am wondering where can I proceed to or move on to, because I have been doing data entry for over 2 years and I find it not promising. And when I take a look at the jobs in the market, not very good. Many are looking for experienced hires on full set accounts which I do not have.

Frankly speaking, other than flexibility in my current job, there is basically no other prospects at all. No career/learning development and progression.

Some people have advised me to go a small/mid-tier audit firm to work, better exposure and better learning curve. Yet on the other hand, some are against this move because I am still studying and I won't be able to cope well.

I am not sure what to do now.

Originally Posted by SG_User

Sorry if this may be off-topic

Currently I am in my studies while working full time in a SME doing accounts job (AP and AR). Now I am wondering where can I proceed to or move on to, because I have been doing data entry for over 2 years and I find it not promising. And when I take a look at the jobs in the market, not very good. Many are looking for experienced hires on full set accounts which I do not have.

Frankly speaking, other than flexibility in my current job, there is basically no other prospects at all. No career/learning development and progression.

Some people have advised me to go a small/mid-tier audit firm to work, better exposure and better learning curve. Yet on the other hand, some are against this move because I am still studying and I won't be able to cope well.

I am not sure what to do now.

What is your qualification? Got CPA or ACCA? Otherwise go small audit firms sure end up sai gang party do all the simple documentation & clerical work same as data entry.

I assume you are doing part time private degree? That one not very useful in auditing firms. Alternative is to go other SME find a finance exec role after you graduate, but difficulty is poor job market now generic part time degree is not useful so need to be patient.

[SG_User]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What is your qualification? Got CPA or ACCA? Otherwise go small audit firms sure end up sai gang party do all the simple documentation & clerical work same as data entry.

I assume you are doing part time private degree? That one not very useful in auditing firms. Alternative is to go other SME find a finance exec role after you graduate, but difficulty is poor job market now generic part time degree is not useful so need to be patient.

Hi, I am studying at UniSIM, part time degree. Those who advise me to leave my current workplace and join audit are my ex-colleagues -- accountants and other account executives who have worked for more than 3 years here.

Hmm...I did tried finding similar capacity roles but mainly asking for full set accounts exp which I do not have. I can keep on apply non-stop and hope someone wants me...Ultimately, I can still stay on at my current place since at least job security is there, but long term wise it is probably not a wise decision.