Finished 3 year ACA with PwC Audit Dept - ask me anything

Hello! This thread is very informative, so I decided to join lol.

Basically I have just graduated having obtained a first class degree in maths. I really want to go down the ACA route (esp after reading this thread lol). I am going to a PwC Insight Day in November and after that I want to apply to the top 20 accountancy firms. I have no relevant work experience apart from two days of work shadowing the NHS finance department. I have a few questions and any advice would be very much appreciated...

4) Also with my background, what chance have I got in getting in PwC?

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That is fine, relevant work experience isn't a must and they do not care about the discipline of your degree either. As long as you can pass the psychometric tests and demonstrate the competency areas they are looking for no reason why you can't get in.

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Hi Josh, excellent thread and thanks for sharing this.

My question is (I'm a scottish student btw) for most big 4 grad schemes they require at least 300 ucas points.. Now my highers give me 280.. No bull**** reason, just hated high school, the people, the school etc so my grades are very average. Fortunately i've gotten into the comp sci/maths degree at Glasgow uni.

Now if I work my butt off and get a 2:1/1st with some ECs am I still likely to be rejected straight away due to my poor ucas score? I could make up rubbish about school etc but the honest truth was I hated it..

Thanks

Hello! This thread is very informative, so I decided to join lol.

Basically I have just graduated having obtained a first class degree in maths. I really want to go down the ACA route (esp after reading this thread lol). I am going to a PwC Insight Day in November and after that I want to apply to the top 20 accountancy firms. I have no relevant work experience apart from two days of work shadowing the NHS finance department. I have a few questions and any advice would be very much appreciated...

...

3) Also it is obvious that working for the Big 4 will make you look good. However, someone advised me to go for the medium sized accountancy firms as the Big 4 are too strict i.e with ACA exams, and they don't give an overview of different departments, they just stick you in auditing for example. Just wanted to know the views of people who have or are working at the top 10 accountancy firms.

4) Also with my background, what chance have I got in getting in PwC?

Many thanks in advance!!

p.s. apologises for the long essay lol

Hi Josh, excellent thread and thanks for sharing this.

My question is (I'm a scottish student btw) for most big 4 grad schemes they require at least 300 ucas points.. Now my highers give me 280.. No bull**** reason, just hated high school, the people, the school etc so my grades are very average. Fortunately i've gotten into the comp sci/maths degree at Glasgow uni.

Now if I work my butt off and get a 2:1/1st with some ECs am I still likely to be rejected straight away due to my poor ucas score? I could make up rubbish about school etc but the honest truth was I hated it..

Thanks

To add my input into this useful thread, I'm someone who is about to finish an ACA contract with a small/medium sized firm in London.

Whilst undoubtedly working for a smaller firm I would imagine you get a lot more exposure to a lot of different areas; accounts preparation, audit different sections, different industries, tax (corp + personal); the advantages of the Big 4 shouldn't be underestimated.

Having Big 4 + first time passes (if possible) will set you very well in your future job search, and the IFRS + consolidation exposure (UK-GAAP and less consolidation due to smaller size of clients in smaller firms) will also affect your chances if your looking to move into industry (especially blue chips).

Personally, I have had a really bad experience at my current firm due to a myriad of reasons, but mainly it's the firm ethos and culture. I think you should not underestimate the importance of Big 4's big intakes (which means you'll have lots of opportunities to meet new people and make new friends) if you are moving to London alone to start a new career (compare this to say an intake of 4/5 people in your year).

With a first in Maths, academically you will piss all over the requirements of the job and the ACA, as long as you have some sort of commercial awareness and common sense. Pass your competency tests and your should have no problem getting in. Your first in Maths should also be helpful for your job search post ACA I believe, which you may be happy to know.

I am interning at a Big 4 (not audit or pwc though, but I assume it might be similar). Just wondered if anyone knew the general attitude towards converting to grad offers, and how common it is?

Hey Guys

Just wanted some advice on this matter, may be going off topic here but I recently got a job at Pwc but I am worried about providing my references as things were not good with my current manager. Earlier this year she issued me a final written warning and now I am worried that this may jeopordise everything I have worked for.
I did have a chat with her and she did say that if they ask then she will have to disclose the information.

Therefore I was wondering if there is anyone out there who works at PwC and perhaps now how much detail they go into when contacting referees?

I am tearing my hair out here because I am getting mixed news and I really want this job!!!

I have just received an offer from PwC for their summer internship in 2012, do you know anyone who has done this internship and how they found it etc?
thanks

To add my input into this useful thread, I'm someone who is about to finish an ACA contract with a small/medium sized firm in London.

Whilst undoubtedly working for a smaller firm I would imagine you get a lot more exposure to a lot of different areas; accounts preparation, audit different sections, different industries, tax (corp + personal); the advantages of the Big 4 shouldn't be underestimated.

Having Big 4 + first time passes (if possible) will set you very well in your future job search, and the IFRS + consolidation exposure (UK-GAAP and less consolidation due to smaller size of clients in smaller firms) will also affect your chances if your looking to move into industry (especially blue chips).

Personally, I have had a really bad experience at my current firm due to a myriad of reasons, but mainly it's the firm ethos and culture. I think you should not underestimate the importance of Big 4's big intakes (which means you'll have lots of opportunities to meet new people and make new friends) if you are moving to London alone to start a new career (compare this to say an intake of 4/5 people in your year).

With a first in Maths, academically you will piss all over the requirements of the job and the ACA, as long as you have some sort of commercial awareness and common sense. Pass your competency tests and your should have no problem getting in. Your first in Maths should also be helpful for your job search post ACA I believe, which you may be happy to know.