©2005-2020 Wall Street Oasis. Consulting services are luxuries that most businesses don’t need right now. In 1990, Coopers & Lybrand saw a brief merger with a familiar name in Deloitte Haskins & Sells, but changed its title back in 1992 to Coopers & Lybrand. Specifically in EPM/BI practice? When accounting firms began receiving pressure to separate their accounting practices from their consultancy practices in the early 2000's, EY became the first firm to officially separate it's practices, selling its consulting division to French IT services company, Capgemini. I also hear that if you wanted to start your own accounting firm, tax would be the better option. Also, how easy is it to switch from EPM advisory to something like Strategy or Financial advisory? I would choose audit over some advisory positions, all depends on which. Big 4 has exit opps, there's no question about that. The other thing to know is that honestly most auditors don't give a shit about IB. But let's put a number to that. possibility of move from Big 4 to Corp fin/ IB? How do all of the people on here who seemed to have been an accounting major, got a job at big 4, end up knowing about finance and actually wanting to move into it despite not being a finance major or having a CFA or related qualifications but a CPA and accounting degree? Senior Associates like to say they have it the worst, but I don't believe so. Sorry, you need to login or sign up in order to vote. Manager positions require 5-8y experience, and quite a bit of knowledge on your specific industry. My dream is to work for a video game company (likely internal strategy) like Microsoft, Nintendo, or a developer like Riot Games, but it seems like they require MBB backgrounds for their senior strategy roles. I wanted to get into and IB but none recruit at my school. It’s a necessary evil, but if you really want to make something happen you have to be willing to give it your all. Here is the basic breakout of people from audit as I see it. Soon after the merger, PricewaterhouseCoopers created its fastest growing branch, Management Consulting Services (MCS). They now have approaching 1,500 employees, and already have an above average compensation. 3) Top of the class - Exits as a senior and takes a different job in something more finance- or management-related, or is an accounting genius and stays to senior manager/director/partner. Usually you are taking audited financials as the starting point and understanding the true earnings of the business. According to user 808, the typical exit opportunities in auditing are: Advisory usually gives you a little more diversity in your possible career. 1) Bottom of the class - Maybe smart (often not), but hates audit and exits to industry after a year or so. If you want to do anything accounting related, including FP&A, there's no question that Big 4 is one of the best places to start your career. My parents basically told me to study whatever I wanted in college and that I didn't really need to concern myself too much, just that I enjoyed myself. Big4 is investing into strategy. 2) Middle of the class - Often lasts a lot longer.