INTHEBLACK February 2022 - Magazine - Page 63
AT A
GLANCE
For accounting and finance
professionals, the lure of a
large or “Big Four” firm
stems from opportunities
for international exposure,
a variety of disciplines and
pool of resources for
training.
Smaller firms offer the
chance to develop
specialist knowledge, as
well as more opportunities
and the freedom to make
an impact while learning
more about frontline work
with clients.
For professionals hoping
to start their own practice,
work experience at a
smaller firm can be
invaluable as it provides
more scope to broaden
skills and expertise, as well
as exposure to different
aspects of a business.
E
ach year, scores of young accounting and
finance graduates submit their CVs at bigname companies, hopeful of getting their
start at a reputable top-tier firm.
When Singapore-based Lindy Heng CPA
graduated with her bachelor of business in
accountancy degree, she knew there would be
plenty of other grads angling for top jobs.
“I decided to go for a mid-tier company because
it is so competitive here in Singapore,” she says.
“I studied at RMIT, and some of the students
and my peers already had internships or
relationships with the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms,
so I decided to go for mid-tier and then try for
something bigger as I proceeded.”
The decision paid off.
Heng began working in tax at the RSM group
in Singapore, before making the transition to
tax planning with KPMG two years later, which
provided her with an international context.
“We were working with clients in Europe, the
UK, Asia and even India,” she says.
THE APPEAL OF LARGER FIRMS
Heng has since started a new role in the corporate
sector as a group tax executive for Singapore
maritime company BW Group. She says her Big
Four experience has undoubtedly given a huge
boost to her CV.
“I have noticed that a lot of job advertisements
actually request Big Four experience,” she says. “It
definitely works to my advantage.”
Dhash AJ CPA is also aware of the benefits of
working for larger companies. He started his career
with a small, three-partner firm in Melbourne
and, while he enjoyed the work, there were fewer
resources for training.
“You get thrown in the deep end at a small
practice,” he says.
When the opportunity arose, AJ took a job with
a mid-tier, 14-partner firm, which later merged
with another company.
“Straight away I noticed there were more systems
and processes, and the learning environment was
more structured,” he says.
“This was evident in the career trajectory, as
there were a lot of steps leading up to partner,
which gave you a clear view of progression.”
AJ also experienced a higher level of support
from other staff, and he noticed that the larger
firm enhanced his knowledge of the accounting
industry.
“You have mentors across the firm, and you
interact with a lot more people,” he says.
Larger firms can also offer exposure to a greater
variety of accounting and finance disciplines, such
as auditing, insolvency, business consulting or
forensic – all under the one roof.
“Small firms, for example, rarely offer auditing,”
AJ says.
HIDDEN BENEFITS OF SMALLER FIRMS
However, AJ is also a big advocate for gaining
career experience with smaller firms, particularly
if the ultimate goal is to start your own practice.
He has spent many years moving between large
and small firms before setting up Finite Group, which
serves a range of small and medium-sized clients.
One of the highlights of his career is the years
he spent at a small two-partner firm in Melbourne
that was pursuing aggressive growth.
“I learned a lot at the smaller firm,” he says.
“I learned the sales side, as well as the client
experience side of things, because in a larger firm
a lot was systematised, whereas [in the smaller
firm], if you could help a client by stretching the
budget slightly, then you would go for it.” Smaller
practices can sometimes offer more freedom to
intheblack.com February 2022 63