Big vs. Small: Accounting Firms

As another school year wraps up, thoughts of going back to work for the summer at the small accounting firm I work for are exciting me. I thought I would comment on my thoughts of the benefits of working for a small accounting firm vs. a larger firm.

Working at a small accounting firm, I feel part of a team, not just part of a balance sheet. I have realized that I have been granted more opportunities than most co-op or other accounting students working at larger firms. I have received opportunities to work on all sorts of accounting engagements, including being a part of many audit teams. I have recognized that this may not be the case if there were many students to choose from to be a part of such teams, as there is at larger firms. I also get to work on engagements from start to finish. I don’t just complete the cash section of every engagement and then pass it on to the next ‘line item’ as though I was working in a sort of assembly line.

I’m getting greater experiences in all aspects of the field, which has allowed me to realize that I really do want to pursue a chartered accountant designation, and I feel at a greater advantage having so much more hands on experience. I think the learning experience is stronger at a smaller firm, providing the environment to learn off of other students and co-workers. Stronger relationships develop when there are a smaller number of people whom you work with. This allows a more comfortable relationship to ask for help, ask questions about future career decisions and development, or to just ask advice or opinions from.

I would also like to note that those of you out there that have realized you would like to pursue such a career, but are not in co-op, not all hope is lost, nor far from. I am a business student that did not apply to be in the co-op program and realized I wanted to pursue my chartered accountant designation. I believe that there are smaller firms out there that will hire such non co-op students, most of which do not necessarily advertise positions available. I think that smaller firms want to hire local students, regardless if they are in the co-op programs or not, but it is up to you to look into them and do the work to get noticed. I used my networking skills to contact a local firm to make an appointment to see the office and speak with a partner about becoming a chartered accountant. They were more than happy to do this, as I was a local student. I then took this opportunity as though it was an interview- highlighting activities that I was involved with, my passion for accounting studies, and my future career aspirations as a chartered accountant. At the end of the visit, I asked if they were hiring at all for the upcoming summer and if it would be okay to submit my resume. From that point forward, I worked at a small accounting firm.

Tara Mitchell, Senior Peer Advisor