Big 4 without A levels?

Big 4 without A levels?

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By mrme89
04th Feb 2015 16:03

I hope your employer or any of your colleagues aren't members of Accounting Web. Using your real name whilst posting something like this isn't the wisest of moves. 

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Replying to johndon68:
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By HeavyMetalMike
04th Feb 2015 16:49

300 ACAS points?

It used to be 10 for an A grade A level. Admittedly one does appear to qualify for that just by writing one's name correctly, but by aged maths that's a lot of A levels??

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David Winch
By David Winch
04th Feb 2015 16:56

300 UCAS points

I understand three Bs at A level is 300 UCAS points.

In my day you wouldn't get into a Big 4 firm without a degree or membership of ICAEW or ACCA.

I expect times have changed though.

David

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paddle steamer
By DJKL
04th Feb 2015 16:58

Why Big 4?

 

I would more aim for a mid tier firm from a smaller firm than small firm to Big 4 in one bound. I have never understood the fascination with Big 4 (or Big 8 as it was in the mid 1980s)

I found starting with Hodgson Impey (now part of Baker Tilly) was a good size , I got to  work on audits of subsidiaries of quoted companies, audit their pension schemes yet also worked on much smaller scale business entities- remembering that with smaller scale clients you get to see the whole picture, with larger clients you might only audit aspects. (I seemed to spend a lot of time doing purchase cycle audits/ stock cut off tests  until eventually graduating to the sales ledger cycle)

Appreciate my experience is pre history, and possibly no longer relevant ,but what is it about KPMG,PWC, Deloittes and Ernst& Young that makes younger aspirants so eager to join them? In the 1980s I knew plenty of ex university colleagues with the Big 8 and every time I met up with them they were miserable.

 

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By Rachael White
04th Feb 2015 17:01

Hi Adam, 

Hi Adam, 

You're welcome to the site. 

As far as I'm aware the Big Four have apprenticeship and trainee schemes. I'm not sure about the A level situation but it doesn't hurt to ask. 

Here are some sites which may help you: 

KPMG - link for school and college leavers Deloitte academic requirementsPwC student careersEY school leaver info

I hope these are relevant - let me know how you get on, we'll be interested to find out what path you take. 

 

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By Alan Davies
04th Feb 2015 17:11

experienced hire

Its worth remembering that even though you are still training you would not be joining on the school leavers schemes but as an experienced hire.  This may make a difference (although its 10 years since I left Deloitte so everything may have changed now).

Its worth ringing up the HR departments of the offices local to you to see what they want.  If they won't recruit you now the doors may be open later as an AAT qualified. 

Also don't rule out mid-tier firms.

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By petersaxton
04th Feb 2015 17:25

Ernst & Young

I trained with them and there wasn't even much opportunity to do the usual sections. We would dream of doing the small audits. Luckily there were some available. What was useful was that we had a lot of practice in insurance companies, pension funds, breweries, etc. You had to use first principles to understand what you were trying to achieve.

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By Howard Marks
04th Feb 2015 17:33

Found you

That took all of ten seconds via Google.

 

Nice smile on LinkedIn by the way ;-)

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