Chartered Accountant

[torontoman]

Quote from baller1069:

I am in my second year of university and want to trade after I am done - this is the goal. I have traded for a year and have been profitable. Enough to sustain a living - probably not. Anyways, my university has a coop program and I was wondering what kind of job I should try to get. My GPA is very good and my resume is also solid - so I am probably one of the top candidates. I am wondering if I should take a job with one of the big four accounting firms...E & Y, KPMG, Deloitte, and PWC or look for a finance job possibly in I-banking or as a equity analyst, or some trading assistant (there aren't many trading jobs at - maybe 1 or 2 - and they are just trading assistants).

I somewhat look at this job simply as a backup plan if trading doesn't work out down the road. This should impact my decision. The Chartered accounting route is appealing because if I do all my coop terms in accounting I can get my designation quite fast and be a CA by age 24. However, being a CA could be very boring and something in finance could be a lot more interesting...

anyone have any advice...

Dear Baller,

This is a very difficult decision, I know. I did my apprenticeship at Deloitte and it will be boring, but you will be happy when you finish. After the auditing apprenticeship, the world will be open to you. Trading will always be there and you could do it after you finish. Having a CA designation is a great back-up and there will always be a demand. I finished my designation and now I'm trading. I know that if trading doesn't work out, I can always get a good job. But you can't say the same if it was the other way around.

Good luck with your decision.

Torontoman

 

[accauditor]

I don't know about working at a Big 4 firm, but the firms I worked with for internships weren't exciting but pay well. Public accounting experience is excellent if you're an auditor. And accounting teaches you all you could ever need to know about reading financial statements, which can only help you when looking at companies to invest in.
The firm I work for now is more interesting, because it is in the investment industry. You could look into firms that specifically audit hedge funds and mutual funds if you want to go the accounting route. The money is good, and you will work with lots of other young people and build up a network/contacts. There are few better careers that guarantee good pay and job security like public accounting right now, at least in the US.