Let’s face it - these are difficult times in the business world. The shape of Wall Street has changed forever, credit markets are caving and economic uncertainty is scary high! A lot of people are worried, but guess who are sitting pretty? Accountants. If you are starting out in your career there has never been a better time to become a part of one of the Big 4 Public Accounting firms.

There is an old saying, “a great economy needs good accountants and a bad economy needs great accountants.” This has never been truer today. With fair value accounting so heavily entrenched in what has happened recently, the convergence to International Standards on the horizon, Sarbanes Oxley still kicking around, FIN 48, etc. there is plenty of work for accountants. However, not just anyone can make it through the doors of a Big 4 public accounting firm,.

If you are reading this you no doubt are well aware of who these guys are:

PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and Touché, KPMG and Ernst & Young.

These firms provide the recent accounting grad with a world class experience. Want to be on the cutting edge of IFRS convergence? Join a Big 4. Want to be part of the fair value developments as they happen? Join a Big 4. Oh yeah, not to mention, want an industry leading salary, amazing benefits and job security? JOIN A BIG 4!.

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Industry professionals, recruiters and college professors are unanimous in their belief in one thing: there is no better way to start a career in accounting than experience with a Big 4 public accounting firm. If you are reading this you no doubt are well aware of who these guys are:

PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and Touché, KPMG and Ernst & Young.

While each of these companies has various strengths and weaknesses, they are all alike in the fact that they provide the recent accounting grad with a world class experience. First year associates at these firms are given a level of responsibility that is truly remarkable. When I was a first year I remember thinking on an almost daily basis “I can’t believe they’re letting me do this.” As I strolled into the CEO’s office of the firm we were auditing, as I tallied up a multi-million dollar mistake I’d found in another company’s books and as I traveled the country with my very own American Express Corporate Card, I kept repeating this thought:
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