Working for a small accounting firm can be a great way to start your career. These firms provide many of the same opportunities that you’d get in a Big 4 accounting company, while still feeling small enough to know everyone in the hallway.
Here at The Accounting Path, when we talk about “Small Accounting Firms”, we have a pretty broad focus. It includes medium size accounting firms like McGladrey, BDO, and Grant Thornton (all who sit just outside the “Big 4”) through to smaller up-and-comers like O’Connor Davies, Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt, and Yeo & Yeo. Most of these accounting firms offer a mix of Audit, Tax, and Consulting services. Some of the smaller firms may specialize more in one area or another, but whatever your passion is, you’ll be able to find it somewhere in this group of excellent employers.
So what is it like to work for a small accounting firm? Well, it’s full of opportunity, especially for a recent graduate. Just like a Big 4 firm, small accounting firms serve clients in a range of industries and deal with a lot of different problems. If working on the same stuff every day doesn’t sound like your ideal job, then this is for you. In your first few years with any of these firms, you’ll likely work across up to a dozen different clients and industries. You’ll get broad exposure to lots of different problems and be able to test what you like before commiting to one area.
When (or if ) you want a change, the outside world recognizes the excellent training opportunities that these firms provide. Should you decide to leave after your first few years, be prepared to have to fight the offers away! Good accountants with excellent training are always in demand. It could be that you use your experience to go deeper into one accounting field (like joining a technology company and specializing in their issues) or maybe you spin your experience into a new career, like management consulting or accounting software. Either way, you’ll have lots of choice.
Do you think all of this sounds good? Well, then head over to our College Search and start finding the right program. Start by searching for a Bachelor’s degree, as that’s the minimum you’ll need to launch your future career with one of these firms. Good luck!