I came across your blog when searching for “how to get a job at Big 4″ and found a lot of useful information. No matter regarding Big 4 or using towards other jobs.I wonder if I can ask your opinion on my situation.

My question is, how hard is it for a person looking for career change able to get a job at BIG 4? Most of your posts are directed torwards college students and not professionals working for a career change.

I’ve been working at a private company and have about 5 years experience in accounting, and operations. Recently passed the CPA exam.

My GPA was low when I was in college. And above that, English is my second language.

If it’s impossible for me, I probably should use my energy torwards small accounting firms.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

It is always advisable to expose yourself to a wide array of subjects. A good grasp of accounting will come in very handy if you ever wish to perform any sort of investment analysis, or if you ever decide to run your own company. Accounting, like programming, is a subject that will pay dividends later in life.

Good luck with your studies!

While I have an interest, I don’t think I want to be an accountant because of all the insanely hard work that goes into it. I just don’t derive the same joy from it as I do from programming.

However, I like this article, because it’s always helpful to know what a specific place is looking for. That’s my #1 interview tip for friends that ask: find out what they want and then give it to them.

And Stefano? You’re wrong about a lot in very little space. Hush.

Secondly, I reviewed the link you posted and came across this gem:

“There is no need worrying whether your resume is good enough to impress a firm. Even if you have excellent grades and community involvement, you have very little chance of receiving an interview without a referral.”

For the record, I went into the interview process knowing only two people, both of whom worked for the same firm, and I came out with offers from all of the Big 4 firms. So, you are wrong!

I understand that you wish to promote your website, but you chose the wrong tone, and then posted misleading information, and as such your link has been removed.

Thirdly, as to your comment about my ability to provide the right information goes, I will say this: the information provided on this blog is based on my experiences working for a Big 4 firm, as well as the experiences of several of my friends who have worked at the other three Big 4 firms. I do not pretend that the information presented here is the gospel.

I urge my readers to network with and talk to as many people as possible about their Big 4 experiences, and get as many different viewpoints as possible. The more information you have, the more empowered you will be.

And finally, I am not sure what your story is. According to your “About Me” section you have worked for a Big 4 firm and a mid-sized firm in audit. Either you couldn’t hack it at the Big 4 and had to switch to a smaller firm, or you couldn’t land a job with a Big 4 out of college and had to settle for a mid-sized firm and made the switch to the Big 4 at the senior associate or manager level. All I know is, you kind of look like the guy from Zombieland.

In your last post, you made the comment that “the goal of the cover letter is to get you an interview”. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Read this message board post (LINK REMOVED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR) and the recruiting articles on the site and you will understand why.

I believe that it is very important for people to blog about the profession and share their perspective. However, when they do so, they assume a duty of care to provide them with the right information. As much as you want to help people, you should critically assess your own ability to do so, and take that into consideration when posting future articles.

I don’t mean to criticize your site, but it is just frustrating when I see the same misconceptions recycled year-after-year

Sincerely,

Stefano