The ULTIMATE BIG 4 Exit Opportunities Guide 2021 (£60k+) | (PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY)

The ULTIMATE BIG 4 Exit Opportunities Guide 2021 (£60k+) | (PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY)
BIG 4 Exit Opportunities Cheat Sheet 👉 bit.ly/3lgQmtW
BIG 4 Partner Interview Cheat Sheet (£60k+) 👉 www.big4ready.com/partnerinte...
Even more BIG 4 content 👉 jsalberts.com/
In September 2017, I joined the BIG 4 graduate programme in London excited to start my BIG 4 career. Just under four years later, 70% of my intake (including myself) had left the BIG 4 for higher earning exit opportunities.
This video summaries those exit opportunities outlining the roles, hours, salaries and a list of recommended recruiters based on a combination of my own experience and that of my friends who have left the BIG 4, along with insider knowledge from recruiters 🤐
So, if you're interested in learning more about a post BIG 4 career in investment banking, consulting, corporate finance, or industry accounting, this video is for you!
00:00 Introduction
01:25 Setting the scene
02:41 Exit Opp #1: Consulting
04:49 Exit Opp #2: Internal Transfers
06:49 Exit Opp #3: Investment Banking
08:43 Exit Opp #4: Corporate Finance
10:27 Exit Opp #5: FTSE 100 / FTSE 250 Accountant
11:48 When should you leave the BIG 4?
13:51 Hints & Tips
16:47 Conclusion
17:11 Relax

[@JamesAlberts]

What other exit opportunities would you like to hear about? Don't forget to download the 'BIG 4 Exit Opportunity Cheat Sheet' 👉 bit.ly/3lgQmtW

[@martinlewis1902]

I’ve tried 2 email addresses and still haven’t received my cheat sheet

[@JamesAlberts]

@@martinlewis1902 drop me a DM on LinkedIn

[@martinlewis1902]

@@JamesAlbertsjust following up, haven’t heard back from you on LinkedIn, anyway I can get this sheet?

[@markscotty6855]

Big fan of the channel - thank you for this video! Looking forward to seeing what else is coming.

[@JamesAlberts]

Thanks Mark - great to have you in the community. Let me know if there is any other content you'd like to see.

[@petrolpoodle6617]

Sage advice as ever, the speed this channel is blowing up is unreal. Looking forward to whatever the hell you pull out a year from now!

[@JamesAlberts]

Glad you found it useful! Thanks for the kind words - onwards and upwards!

[@richardmarkust9043]

Great video, extremely useful combined with the Google document! Videos are getting better each time

[@JamesAlberts]

Thanks Richard - good to have you on the journey!

[@awediomusic2137]

In regards to it being difficult to move directly from Big 4 Audit into Investment Banking or MBB consulting, I suppose a better option could be to leverage your position within the Big 4 to transfer internally for a few years into Corporate Finance or a certain avenue of Consulting after qualification and build a network and gain some experience. After a few years of this, and enjoying the benefits of Big 4 managerial status, you'd likely be in a far better position to make a leap across to larger, more specialist firms in the areas you're interested in.

[@jimgold2550]

Amazing value James, thanks for this.

[@JamesAlberts]

Glad you enjoyed it Jim! Let me know if there is anything else you'd like to see!

[@evevobom5142]

For those of us looking to leave the BIG 4 this is great content, thank you so much!

[@JamesAlberts]

Glad you enjoyed it! I've just released a video on moving into consulting specifically - check it out! Let me know if there is any other content you'd like to see.

[@williamsantos8885]

I really enjoy your videos man! Im gonna share it with my friends :)

[@JamesAlberts]

Awesome, thank you!

[@congyiwang5757]

Thanks James! I really like your channel and the great content! Still waiting for the advice for ibd exit route...

[@JamesAlberts]

Thanks, Jane! I'm glad you enjoy the content. The video is on the list and will be up soon!

[@martamontreal9760]

I recently joined big 4 in Canada not thinking about the leave. The grow, learning opportunity and health benefits are good here but maybe in the future I'll go back to Europe or Poland and this can definitely top up my resume. Thank you for this content

[@JamesAlberts]

I'm glad you enjoyed it Marta! Your resume will be very strong with the BIG brand on it.

[@stonefree8405]

Hi James, thank you for your great video.

[@JamesAlberts]

Thank you! Any other videos you'd like to see?

[@wilderthought2206]

Great I'd love to have such opportunities the way you have explained it is very much helpful in making my decision

[@JamesAlberts]

There's loads of opportunities open to you! Glad you found the video useful.

[@joarlee124]

this video is a gem. Thanks so much

[@JamesAlberts]

Glad you enjoyed it, Joarlee!

[@trttvchannel]

Really useful video, thank you so much👍

[@JamesAlberts]

Glad you enjoyed it - are there any other you'd like to see?

[@sonnguyenthanh9774]

Thank you. Really helpful, i am a fresh audit associate in PwC. Love your advice, appreciate!

[@JamesAlberts]

Glad you enjoyed it! Let me know if there are any other videos/content you'd like to see.

[@sonnguyenthanh9774]

@@JamesAlberts I'm considering to choose between ACCA and CPA Aus. I'm currently a CFA level 2 Feb 2022 candidate and also heading to Corporate Finance, or Investment Banking, M&A in the long run. Hope you can have a detailed video about differences between ACCA and other certifications. Thanks!

[@mindsetlab1265]

Love the cheat sheets!

[@JamesAlberts]

Thanks! Glad they were useful.

[@rifdhyrumaiz5752]

Where has this video been all this time????? Feel like I found a treasure😍

[@tsolotsosane6003]

There's one exit opportunity you forgot to mention, and that is academia. I know most people in my country South Africa that have existed auditing for lecturing.

[@shabz_]

Great video and production

[@JamesAlberts]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. Let me know if there is any other content you'd like to see.

[@shabz_]

@@JamesAlberts Maybe a comparison between Big 4 and Mid tier-firms? As a lot of people don't actually go to the big 4, but there's not many videos on for example firms like GT/BDO, which are still big but not as big

[@JamesAlberts]

@@shabz_ That's a great idea - I'll add it to the list!

[@RB621337]

Hi James, do Big 4 take exemptions from degrees into account? The course I want to do has a possible 7 exam exemption for ACA/ACCA.

[@wasabisparten3659]

Your videos are really good!

[@JamesAlberts]

Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the kind words! Let me know if there is any other content you'd like to see.

[@wasabisparten3659]

@@JamesAlberts im currently doing an ACA training contract for a medium sized accounting firm, in the internal audit department. Only done a month of work so far but I do not think Internal audit will be something I would want to do once I am qualified, would the exit opportunities you list in the video still apply to me or would there be alternatives? Thanks!

[@JamesAlberts]

@@wasabisparten3659 The opportunities will still be open for you, but I think some areas such as Corporate Finance and Investment Banking may be slightly harder. Whereas, you might have a lot of good process experience for consultancy!

[@JamesAlberts]

Then again, if your firm has a Corporate Finance department you could transfer into that area get some experience then go down the CF/IB route!

[@mdgamer2118]

Hi James, love the content. Do these exit opportunities also apply to BDO?

[@user-vk2th7vh3z]

I’m a graduate from a non-finance field so these exit opportunities don’t have a lot of meaning to me yet. I don’t know what I want to do really (maybe something outside of finance completely) and I’m not sure if I have the finance knowledge to succeed in these roles. I do however have an audit grad job offer, would you recommend I give it a try? How useful are the skills I would obtain for moving into completely different roles?

[@danielsquires2844]

Please do the how to get into investment banking video

[@annesubaby2258]

Great video. Do you recommend going into big 4 operational consulting from investment banking or is that a step back

[@JamesAlberts]

Thanks, Anne - glad you enjoyed it. I wouldn't consider it to be a step back at all. You will earn less money, however, if it's a career you are more passionate about and want to pursue - go for it! Are you thinking of making the move?

[@annesubaby2258]

@@JamesAlberts yes all the videos have been so helpful. I’m thinking of making the move because I thought it would be a good opportunity to get some more project/BA experience

[@DivingDeveloper]

I still know people who haven’t left the big 4 even twenty years after graduating! :)

[@JamesAlberts]

There are definitely quite a few benefits that are worth staying for!

[@damo6876]

What if I have 3 years at big 4 and not done with ACCA... would I still get good exit opportunities?

[@ravisingh5957]

Would there be similar exit opportunities from working at a mid tier firm like GT

[@patrickfonseca7902]

What's your thoughts about tax area? Great video!!

[@tiarehowns]

Would like to know this too

[@Malik-xb5wz]

How many hours a week would an audit work on average at a big 4

[@andresalmonte4772]

Yes

[@JamesAlberts]

No

[@rebsutube]

Boost sound level a bit plz, ads are 3x LOUUUUUDER than the video :(

[@JamesAlberts]

Will do

[@nicklancer3923]

I'm planning to leave the big 4 to work in house in accounting. Would you say the busy periods only last for a week at the end of every month and basically January is always busy?

[@JamesAlberts]

Thats the typical pattern!

[@prashant955]

Please remove background music. Good content

[@JamesAlberts]

Thanks for your comment! Was it too loud, or just not a fan?

[@SS-jm2vc]

I’m not the op but it was a bit loud compared to your voice and therefore distracting

[@JamesAlberts]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@flohello4920]

Big 4 is the worst place on earth to even start your career especially after graduating. Such a toxic environment, unhealthy and crappy. Leave as soon as possible, don't think about opportunities. Mental health comes first. always.

[@JamesAlberts]

Mental health does come first; however, if you can stick it out for 3/4 years the opportunities are great!

[@hass3251]

@@JamesAlberts they really aren’t. I work at a big 4 within audit and I can safely say this is a huge cope. The big 4 get decent talent fresh from uni and trap them in a god awful job which gives barely any opportunities outside of the sector you were randomly assigned. It’s a shitshow and if I could go back and change it I would. I am not getting paid my worth, the experience is horrid and the exams are pointless because you forget most of what you learn within 3 months of learning it. Audit is a hole and once you’ve spent time in it not only have you lost the majority of your braincells, you’ve ultimately limited the scope where you can go in life and wasted your potential doing pointless crap…

[@KungFuWizardOfJesus]

@@hass3251 Do you have any advice for alternative work? I'm currently starting Uni and was wondering what to pursue as a career.