[thechapman]

Hey everyone. I have a question regarding big 4 experience that relates to clients and their potential effect on your career. I’ll make it short – without taking the industry A vs. industry B argument into consideration, do the clients you work on really have an effect on the value that you get out of working for a big 4 firm? For example, if you worked at an office that was primarily tech clients, would working on Sony vs a lesser known public client in the same industry make a difference? Your opinions, as always, are much appreciated.

Passed - 2014

[acamp]

Maybe. There is some prestige in working on the biggest engagements, especially if you stay a while to learn all the sections of the engagement (a common complaint about the biggest jobs is that you have a fairly narrow focus, however the longer you stay the more exposure you get).

I think it really depends on where you plan to exit to and at what point in your career. If you are on Sony and apply for a job with Samsung, it will probably carry more weight than working on Sony and applying at a random tech start-up (where they might even prefer that you have experience with other random and equally messy startups).

I have a nice best of both, primary client is a growing public company (still no where near the visibility of a Sony, etc) and between the Qs I usually work on messier start-ups.

Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

FAR, REG and BEC with Ninja Notes + WTB Only

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[Author]

Replies