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How hard is the Audit to IB path?

I'm at a target but lately I've come to realise that perhaps I'm not as desirable a candidate as I once thought, compared to most of my peers when it comes to grades, interview skills etc...
I reckon the chance of me getting a summer internship is going to be pretty low, so I'm reconsidering my options. I'm thinking of trying to get into a Big4 vacation scheme and converting that into a grad scheme or maybe going straight for the grad scheme.
1) How hard is it to get into audit when compared to IB? I know they take in like a 1000 graduates but obviously there's more people applying as well.
2) How should someone best prepare to go into banking once they're at a big4?
pretty hard i imagine..

doesn't the road go from audit > TAS > banking

rather than sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, take the initiative to perhaps improve your position, get to networking and seeking advice
There’s no such thing as a solid Audit to IBD path, it’s a high-risk, long term chinese whisper.

If you believe you aren’t a desirable candidate because of your interview techniques etc, then ask yourself how can you improve those? If you’re at a target then your grades shouldn’t matter too much aslong as you have a minimum 300-320 ucas points under the old system.

Few Qs,
How is your CV looking? How do you perform on tests?

Why not consider doing a masters and reapply for internships earlier and more prepared next cycle?

Why not consider another division at Banks where interview success rate is far higher?
Original post by serions871
I'm at a target but lately I've come to realise that perhaps I'm not as desirable a candidate as I once thought, compared to most of my peers when it comes to grades, interview skills etc...
I reckon the chance of me getting a summer internship is going to be pretty low, so I'm reconsidering my options. I'm thinking of trying to get into a Big4 vacation scheme and converting that into a grad scheme or maybe going straight for the grad scheme.
1) How hard is it to get into audit when compared to IB? I know they take in like a 1000 graduates but obviously there's more people applying as well.
2) How should someone best prepare to go into banking once they're at a big4?


Not that hard if you manage to finangle your way into TAS/TS or CorpFin from audit. Lots of banks (and surprisingly some PE firms) fill out their analyst 1-2 spots with former Big4 ACAs from those divisions. These spots free up because of the churn from direct recruits moving firm/industry (or just leaving the finance industry completely).

The process IIRC involves lots of networking (to get into the better Big4 departments and to get your face known to bankers and recruiters).

Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 6 years ago)
During my internships and spring weeks, I met quite a lot of people who started in big4 audit completed their ACA and moved on as an associate at top elite boutiques and mid-market investment banks. In a way they made a lucky escape by skipping the brutal hours of an IBD analyst. Can't imagine what they were feeling when they went from big 4 audit salary to IBD associate salary. It's difficult to do though and the more typical move/route would be big 4 CF -> IBD. I also met an IBD MD at an EB who started in audit at big 4 then moved to CF and become a director there, then moved to this EB as an MD in IBD.
Reply 5
Original post by gr8wizard10
pretty hard i imagine..

doesn't the road go from audit > TAS > banking

rather than sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, take the initiative to perhaps improve your position, get to networking and seeking advice


Original post by BusMan21
There’s no such thing as a solid Audit to IBD path, it’s a high-risk, long term chinese whisper.

If you believe you aren’t a desirable candidate because of your interview techniques etc, then ask yourself how can you improve those? If you’re at a target then your grades shouldn’t matter too much aslong as you have a minimum 300-320 ucas points under the old system.

Few Qs,
How is your CV looking? How do you perform on tests?

Why not consider doing a masters and reapply for internships earlier and more prepared next cycle?

Why not consider another division at Banks where interview success rate is far higher?


Original post by Princepieman
Not that hard if you manage to finangle your way into TAS/TS or CorpFin from audit. Lots of banks (and surprisingly some PE firms) fill out their analyst 1-2 spots with former Big4 ACAs from those divisions. These spots free up because of the churn from direct recruits moving firm/industry (or just leaving the finance industry completely).

The process IIRC involves lots of networking (to get into the better Big4 departments and to get your face known to bankers and recruiters).

Posted from TSR Mobile


Original post by Breakingbank
During my internships and spring weeks, I met quite a lot of people who started in big4 audit completed their ACA and moved on as an associate at top elite boutiques and mid-market investment banks. In a way they made a lucky escape by skipping the brutal hours of an IBD analyst. Can't imagine what they were feeling when they went from big 4 audit salary to IBD associate salary. It's difficult to do though and the more typical move/route would be big 4 CF -> IBD. I also met an IBD MD at an EB who started in audit at big 4 then moved to CF and become a director there, then moved to this EB as an MD in IBD.


Thanks for your advice guys, I'll take it on board. Hopefully it won't come to this but good to be prepared I guess
Reply 6
How hard is Big 4 TAS to IB? What are the roles within TAS is that more highly sought after?

I came across a profile recently on LinkedIn. Person did 4-5 years in TAS and started off as an Analyst in IBD in a Tier 1/2 bank.

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