CA Articleship Training: Big 4 Firm vs Mediocre Firms?

A big question coming into every Chartered Accountant student mind, before commencing Articleship is that WHERE TO DO ARTICLESHIP? In this Article, Let us try to know about every aspects of Articleship and from which type of firms it should be done.

As a student, every students wants a firms having big exposure and providing a great and big opportunity to learn the things and growth to its career. Many students run behind to join Big 4’s and many students are gone through with mediocre firms. It’s not about that any firm is good or bad, it’s about the selection of firms based on your interest and articulate better knowledge and skills.

Big 4’s

As far as Big 4’s concerns, First, these firms are mostly accepted as article only those students who has cleared CA Inter both groups in their 1^st attempt and hardly goes to accept 2^nd or more attempts. Unfortunately, the student who took more attempt in clearing CA Inter, are not able to get opportunity in Big 4’s.

Apart from that, there is separate segment/department of every type of work, like Internal Audit & Risk advisory services, Mergers & Acquisitions, Statutory Audit Department, Direct Taxation, Indirect Taxation, Audit & Assurance, Transfer Pricing department and so on. Student should take care of while choosing particular department on the basis of their interest develop in subjects studied in Intermediate.

Further, Big 4’s has provided an interaction with big clients, MNCs, which leads to greater impact on knowledge and skills and dealing with clients to their premises under a well experts seniors along with working ability in team work has play vital role in grasping the things which really helps in their professional career. They provided a good working environment with various facilities to work in a focused and efficient manner.

Moreover, Big 4’s has also provided a higher stipend as compare to mediocre firms which help student to meet their expenses and can utilize in best possible manner in studies and it is also add-on value to student resume if completed Articleship training from Big 4’s.

Apart from that, If student join Big 4’s as article, Student will get limited leaves for preparation of examination which is a core factor for clearing CA examinations, student must considered this factor while taking decision that whether to join Big4’s or not.

Now, let’s come up to another side of the coin that is mediocre firms, simply say mid-size firms.

Mediocre Firms

Student who wants to join a mediocre firm should analysis all aspects before joining. The first and foremost important factor which every CA Student must kept in mind before joining mediocre firms that is Work Exposure. If a student gets good work exposure in such firms, then it will definitely help them in their professional life.

Mid-sized firms provided multiple type of works under a single roof such as Internal Audit, Statutory Audit, Income Tax and GST, TDS & Tax Audits, Bank Audits, ROC work and various tax compliances. Student gets opportunity to learn multiple work and make himself expertise in any area of his interest. As an article assistant, there is a lot to learn in mediocre firms and deal with different clients, different work makes his best in all type of practical knowledge which a successful CA should must have, moreover, the level of clients and interaction with them is also add on value in their working experience and under the guidance of experienced CA’s and seniors, student polished their ability and potential and also develop skills to handle work at own.

Further, the best part of joining the mediocre firms is that these firms are allowed sufficient leaves for examinations which helps in better preparation for CA exams, student can make a proper schedule and plan their study in effective manner along with Articleship period but student gets stipend as minimum fixed by ICAI and little bit more and that would not be sufficient to meet study expenses.

Conclusion

On the basis of above discussion, it is all about in the interest of student, not as per their convenience, and should consider factors which plays key role for a student in betterment of their career as a whole. Work exposure, area of interest, study planning along with Articleship, preparation leaves for examinations are the key factors in taking decision of Articleship- from where to do?. Student should not take this decision just on the basis of stipend they got because these three year time period of Articleship is for student learn, not for earn. So take decision wisely.