INTHEBLACK December - January 2022 - Magazine - Page 19
“This was evident in the career
trajectory, as there were a lot of steps
leading up to partner, which gave you
a clear view of progression.”
AJ also experienced a higher level
of support from other staff, and he
noticed that the larger firm enhanced his
knowledge of the accounting industry.
“You have mentors across the firm, and
you interact with a lot more people,” he says.
Larger firms can also offer exposure to
a greater variety of accounting disciplines,
such as auditing, insolvency, business
consulting or forensic – all under the one roof.
“Small firms, for example, rarely offer
auditing,” AJ says.
HIDDEN BENEFITS OF SMALLER FIRMS
However, AJ is also a big advocate for
gaining career experience with smaller
firms, particularly if the ultimate goal is
to start your own practice.
He spent many years moving between
large and small firms before setting up
Finite Group, which serves a range of
small and medium-sized clients.
One of the highlights of AJ’s career is
the years he spent at a small two-partner
firm in Melbourne that was pursuing
aggressive growth.
“I learned a lot at the smaller firm,” he
says. “I learned the sales side, as well as
the client experience side of things,
because, in a larger firm, a lot was
systematised. However, [in the smaller
firm], if you could help a client by
stretching the budget slightly, then you
would go for it.”
Smaller practices can sometimes offer
more freedom to make an impact, he says.
For example, if an accountant wants
to add advisory services in addition to
compliance, it is easier to pitch the idea
to the partners of a small firm.
“If you really want to pursue something,
you can have a direct discussion with a
partner, and then you probably are given
a chance,” AJ says.
Heng agrees and says that, while the
Big Four firms are renowned for offering
opportunities, these opportunities are
often fiercely fought over.
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DEC 2022
JAN 2023
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