There are few professions that are life changing like working in ‘big four’ audit firm. The cross industry experience. Daily late night working hours. The urgent proposal adrenaline. Over demanding clients. Very competitive team of peers. Endless assignments. Very ‘lazy’ clients. The end of month time sheets and work plans. The overzealous supervisors. And many more make it a worthy experience. You have to stay on top of your game to keep the job.
The big four audit firms in our country (Uganda) recruit on merit based on two key criterions– (i) the folks who will do the jobs. And (ii) the folks who will bring in the jobs.
You must demonstrate exceptional academic record and skill to join the firm through the first door of the folks who will do the jobs.The process is set to be so rigorous to allow only the very best through. Usually it starts at campus with the recruitment team visiting University lecturers for names of their star candidates. Also via career fairs at Universities to obtain CVs of top candidates. This will be crowned with advertisements for candidates to join the firm’s ‘unique and life changing Internship” program. Taken together, some of the top brains will emerge and be selected after a thorough process. Joining the firm as a work-bee is very fulfilling. Having gone through traditional schools is an added advantage.
What if the above criteria cannot let you through your dream job?
You join in under folks who will do the jobs opening.
These are sons and daughters of who is who. They went to good schools. Have strong command of the language and well exposed. They have an illustrative CV — having done international curriculum for their advanced certificate studies. They also had a stint at an international university. Above all, their parents are some of the top entrepreneurs or politicians. The firm knows that with these folks among their ranks – getting jobs from government will be very easy. On that basis, they will be recruited. As you can imagine, the ‘marketing’ folks work is to network and keep moving around the city. They bring the leads and connections and you as a work-bee must write the proposal and all attendant technicalities up to acquiring the job. And once it comes, you must execute. As a work-bee, you learn a lot.
To be continued…
