How to Get Hired by Big 4
The Big 4 Guru – Book of Secrets – Hiring Guide
Name: Book of Secrets
Creator: The Big 4 Guru
Website: Big 4 Guru’s Book of Secrets
Purpose: To give you the tips and strategies that you need in order to get hired by Big 4 accounting firms.
The ultimate guide to providing the insight, knowledge, expertise and exact formula for landing a job with either Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, or KPMG. Now, the author did use to work for PwC for a few years and is an insider who appears to know the in’s and out’s and can coach you through the process — but does he have all the answers?
The Big 4 Guru – Book of Secrets Review
At the start of The Big 4 Guru – Book of Secrets he gives a nice background and history to each of the big 4 firms:
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Deloitte
- Ernst & Young
- KPMG
Now, of course, if you scour the internet you can find this information anywhere online, but I do like how he makes it an easy read and makes it memorable. I do believe that understanding the history of a company is vital in going for an interview. You do not want to find yourself getting a question in an interview about the company that you are applying for and not know what they are about. This section will help you to easily remember and digest the history behind each of the Big 4.
The Big 4 Guru Tips!
One feature that I thought was insightful is that the author displays Big 4 Guru Tips throughout the book in different sections. A few of them are just good reminders but a few others are worth their weight in gold and I found them interesting. The Big 4 Guru Tips sections are designed to bring what you are reading down to a practical level. By just implementing one of these insights you can dramatically improve your chances of nailing down a position in the Big 4.
Get Your Foot in the Door
In my experience, sometimes the challenge can be just getting your foot in the door. You know that you can interview well if you can just get in front of the right people who make the decisions. Well in chapter three, the author discusses all the different techniques for getting your foot in the door for an interview. Specific areas that he details is:
- Specific Online Job Boards to Target
- Campus Job Fair & What To Do
- How to Request an Office Visit
The Donut Scandal
Chapter 4 is definitely the most insightful chapter in the book. I won’t go into detail as I don’t want to steal the book’s thunder but he does a really nice job of describing to you what you need to do step by step in:
- Pre-interview
- During the interview
- Post Interview
These tips are solid for any type of interview but there are a few tips that are specific to the Big 4 and you will want to know these before going into an interview. I do think that this chapter is worth the price of the book and will greatly increase your chances of getting hired in the Big 4.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Big 4 Guru also discusses three areas in the interview process that you need to be aware of. Knowing what types of possible questions and discussion points in the interview process can definitely give you a competitive edge. He outlines for you some specific, up-to-date, accounting topics that you will need to brush up on before you go in for an interview. In chapter 6, he also includes a sample thank you note that you can send or email to the people who interviewed you.
Should I Buy The Book?
The Big 4 Guru – Book of Secrets is a great book and I have trouble finding any major faults in it. If anything, the only thing I don’t like about the book is that it does appear on the surface to be a bit gimmicky. "Secrets" and "accounting" don’t seem to fit well these days (tongue in cheek). At the same time, I understand the importance of writing a compelling title in order to grab one’s attention. However, I did not find the book itself to be gimmicky or filled with fluff either. The author does a nice job of diving right into the topic and getting right to the point. Every page is filled with useful knowledge and he does not just fill pages of useless information.
If you are a new graduate and want to start in the Big 4, than I would say that this book is a must. However, I also believe it can help those who have had a career but desire to get into the Big 4 as well. Overall, I think it is money well worth spent.
Also, as of the writing of this posting he is also offering a free updated interview guide. All of the materials are available for immediate download.
Here’s the Link: The Big 4 Guru’s Book of Secrets
I hope it helps!
Article by Jonathan Milligan
CPACareerCoach.com is a blog (weblog) website aimed at those interested in building and improving their career in Accounting & Finance. CPACareerCoach.com content is produced by Jonathan Milligan, an Executive Recruiter/Career Coach from Florida. Jonathan has successfully placed hundreds of Accounting & Finance Professionals and coached many on how to build a successful career.
By the way, if anyone in the Big 4 has some tips to help please comment here. Thanks!
Thanks a lot for information! I’d also recommend the following article for those who want to be hired by Big 4 company:
http://www.myhowtoos.com/en/at-work-howtoos/68-how-to-get-job-in-big-4
Thanks Dawood for adding to the discussion.
Is there really such a thing as an ALPHABET of how to get hired by a set of elite companies within an industry? I believe Jonathan said it all when he stated that through networking one can find out what the hiring manager is looking in a candidate. It all comes down to networking online or offline. Every job interview is different. There is no such a thing as one side fits all. By the way all the information is out there, you have to just look for it!
Narkissos
http://thestudentcpa.wordpress.com/
Getting hired by the Big 4 is no huge task any more. 15 years ago you needed a 4.0 GPA from an elite college just to get an interview. Now a degree and a pulse will generally get you in the door!
@ Robert Lowe:
Absolutely agree with you! When you factor in the huge employee turnover within three years after being hired (40%-50%) at Big 4 firms, it becomes difficult for them to get picky. Again you have to network with your college alumni currently working at a Big 4. In addition, attend your college accounting career days and chat with BIG 4 employees. Last but not least, you want to follow up after your initial contact with Big 4 employees. If you are successful at securing an internship then you have a 95% of chance of receiving a job offer unless you screw up!
Narkissos Dansu
http://thestudentcpa.wordpress.com/
I am in big4 without any type of social networking but I thinkg social networking is becoming important if you want to join big4 in Europe,Australia, and USA.