- Are you wondering how to get into “big accounting firms” for your CA articleship or internship?
- In fact, today we have Abhishek Garg, who shares with us how he got an opportunity at BDO and Grant Thornton to do his CA articles.
- He is a qualified Chartered Accountant from ICAI and has done his article training with Grant Thornton LLP, Delhi, in the Indirect Tax team. Prior to joining Grant Thornton (GT), he worked as an article assistant in the Audit and Assurance team at BDO Gurgaon.
Pursuing Chartered Accountancy
I belong to Bahadurgarh, Haryana. I had no plan to become a chartered accountant. My intention was to study at Delhi University after my class 10 exams. However, since I did not score very well, I could not get admission to Delhi University.
That is when my family told me to consider becoming a chartered accountant, as that did not require any required percentage or marks and CAs earn well globally.
The First Step: My CPT Journey Honestly, I was not very keen on Journey . However, I still went ahead and registered for the CPT exams (1st level CA exam from ICAI) just one day prior to the registration closing deadline.
I wanted to join a coaching class to prepare for my CPT exams, but since I decided to pursue CPT at the very last minute, most of the coaching classes had completed their portion.
Luckily, I found a tutor who guided me and showed me the way. I started to study for the CPT half-heartedly since I was not very keen. I attempted a few mock tests and scored very poorly.
One day, while interacting with my CPT tutor, I realised that I could either quit CA right away or give it my best shot and clear the CPT exams. I wanted to actually leave the course, but since I had already paid my CPT fees, quitting meant wasting my parents’ hard-earned money.
I come from a lower-middle-class family, so every penny matters. That was when I decided to at least give my best. In those few days, I prepared as much as I could and went for my exams.
Luckily, I cleared my CPT exams with 150–200 marks. I was surprised and excited.
My advice: Give as many mock tests as you can and do not get demotivated if the test scores are low. Instead, give your best and take the exams.
My IPCC journey After CPT, it was crystal clear that even I could pass the CA exams and become a Chartered Accountant. I realised that the CA exams are not tough, but listening to others results in a mental blockage that the exams are tough. After clearing CPT, I was no longer scared of CA.
The next exam was the CA IPCC (ICAI’s 2nd level CA exam).This has two groups (Group 1 and Group 2). I decided to give only IPCC Group 1 in my first attempt.If I had decided to give equal weight to both groups, I would have had to study for at least 6-8 hours per day, which I knew I couldn’t do.
The first exam, “Accounts,” of IPCC Group 1, my favourite subject, unexpectedly did not go well. I was thinking of skipping other subject exams, but my tutor told me to go for the exams even if I was going to die. I took his advice and gave him the remaining papers. Fortunately, I received high marks in all of my papers, including Accounts, and passed IPCC Group 1.
In IPCC Group 2, I lost 7 kg due to overthinking and study pressure. I was so thin that every time I went out, everyone would ask me if I was fine. All day long, I would just think about clearing CA IPCC Group 2. I again gave my best and cleared IPCC Group 2.
My Advice:
- Write your answers in a very presentable form. Have written as many MTPSs and RTPs as possible, as well as papers from the previous five years.
- Please don’t skip any of your exams, even if your friends are skipping them. The worst that could happen is that you fail. But at least you will know where you stand, and you can prepare well for your next attempt.
- Many of my friends enrolled in both groups and later just gave one group a try; however, my intention was clear right from the beginning to focus only on Group 1. So be sure of what you want to do right from the beginning.
Starting with my articles at BDO, the Big 5 accounting firm
After clearing the IPCC, the next step was to start my CA articles. When it was time to start my articles, everyone kept telling me to try getting into “big accounting firms.”
I was not sure if I could get into such big firms, and I always told them this: “Yaar, naa Mujhe English aati hain dhangse aur naa mere paas reference hain” (I do not speak English well, nor do I have any reference to get into these big firms)… But I guess destiny had something else in store for me.
One day I randomly decided to apply to all the Big 10 accounting firms and see what happens.I not only applied but, luckily, even got interview calls. I attended interviews at EY, PWC, KPMG, Lodha & Co, etc. until the partner round; after that, no one from the firm contacted me. No reply means rejection!
After a lot of rejections, I finally got selected at BDO in the Audit and Assurance Department. Getting into BDO made everything so worth it.
You won’t believe how many times I got rejected; however, every rejection was a stepping stone to success. So if this is your story, all I can say is, “DO NOT GIVE UP.”
“What are the interview rounds for an article assistant at BDO?”
BDO has three rounds of interviews, which are as follows:
Questionnaire and HR Round
- The receptionist handed over a page full of questions to be filled up by me (these were not technical questions). The questions were like: “Why do you want to join BDO?” Why not any other firm? Which field do you want to join?
- I guess the purpose of the questionnaire is to give the HR an idea about yourself and your areas of interest.
- In my case, luckily, the HR restricted himself to the answers that I wrote on that sheet of paper, but one needs to be 100% sure of what one is writing in the questionnaire.
- The HR also asked me about my proficiency in Excel. I honestly told him, “I only have basic knowledge of Excel,” as I stated in my questionnaire. I remember the same question being asked to another candidate who was attending the interview with me, and she replied that she had practical experience in Excel! So the HR asked her to apply a shortcut to insert a pivot table, and she was unable to put the formula in; she got rejected in that round itself.
- That’s when I realized one has to be honest when replying to questions. Don’t try to influence HR with false talk, as he or she faces such candidates on a daily basis.
Managers Round
- The second round is an interview with the manager. This was more of a technical round.
- The manager asked me to name a few accounting standards (AS) in detail. I discussed AS-2, AS-6, AS-9, and AS-19.The next question was the methods of valuation of inventory as per AS-2 (as I spoke about AS-2 earlier!).
- The other thing the manager asked me was about deferred tax liability, auditing standards, and statutory provisions in respect of employer contributions to the provident fund.
- They question us about what we tell them in the CV or while speaking to them. So one needs to be confident when deciding what to say.
- So, friends, please do brush up on your IPCC academics before going for the interview. Also, be sure about what you are going to say in the interview, as every next question depends on the details you provide.
Partner Round
- Luckily, I cleared the manager round, and the partner round was scheduled two days later.
- The partner round lasted for only 10 minutes.
- This round had no technical questions. In fact, it was so relaxed, I felt like I was talking to a friend. The partner asked me questions regarding my family structure, my aspirations in life, etc.
- All went well, and I was informed that I was selected.
“How was my article experience at BDO?”
My first day at BDO was March 7, 2017.With so many questions in mind, I walked into the shininess of BDO wearing my formal clothes. Laptop, ID card, biometric access, and stationery with a BDO tag are what I received on my very first day.
Along with other newly joined articles, the HR department introduced us to our assurance team, IT staff, and administration department. I got assigned to my first audit in a few days.
BDO Life. Audit life is so cool. Even though I was a fresher and knew nothing about corporate life, I used to get so much respect from clients. It was very fascinating at first. Gradually, I realised that when you are a statutory auditor and visit your clients, getting this kind of respect is normal.
Though I was in BDO for a few months (as I took a transfer to GT in the indirect tax team), I learned so much about conducting myself well by observing and interacting with others around me.
#WhatDidILearn: I improved my speaking and presentation skills. Personally, it helped shape my personality. I learned email etiquette and how to conduct myself professionally. As the months passed by, I realiszed that I was getting mature enough to handle various professional challenges that showed up.
Stipend. An article assistant gets paid well in BDO, but that would also mean working late hours, doing monotonous vouching activities for months, etc. But the icing on the cake are the fancy off-sites, the various infrastructure facilities, and the grooming and learning that one experiences at such a young age that make it all worth it.
I am very thankful to BDO for teaching me the way the corporate sector works.
“Taking a Transfer from BDO to Grant Thornton How did I go about it?”
With all the happenings around GST, I had this inclination towards it and always wanted to make a transition to indirect taxation (IDT). Through LinkedIn, I applied for an opening at Grant Thornton (GT) in the IDT team and luckily got selected. After 8 months of great experience at BDO, I accepted a transfer to Grant Thornton (GT) because of an opportunity in indirect taxation.
Generally, big firms like BDO have a very good policy. They don’t want you to stay if you aren’t willing to. But friends, don’t take this opportunity for granted; instead, consult a trusted senior member of the firm (who can mentor and guide) before planning to take a shift.
So from my experience, my advice to all is:
- Choose your CA firm wisely. Avoid transfers unless it is necessary.
- Ideally, one should work for at least 2 years after joining as an intern, and maybe in the last year one could consider industrial training (IT).
- However, if you have decided to take a transfer, follow your gut and go ahead. In my case, an opportunity in IDT was something I could not miss.
- Taking a transfer from one firm to another could also be a waste of time because when we shift to another firm, we again have to get familiar with that firm and its culture. Leaving one company and adjusting to a new culture may take several months.
ICAI transfer policy. The ICAI has a transfer policy in place that says, “Transfer of article clerks is permitted without any restriction during the 1st year of articleship.” There is no restriction from ICAI in the first year of your articleship, so technically you can take more than one transfer in the first year of your articleship (please confirm). I guess the main purpose of this is to help articles understand their area of interest. Details are on this link.
“What is the interview procedure at GT?”
I applied to GT through LinkedIn and luckily got shortlisted for an interview. So at GT, there are 4 rounds:
- HR Round
- Group discussion
- Technical Round (Manager asks various technical questions)
- Partner round
However, since GST implementation was happening during my time, everybody was busy with client engagements, and I was interviewed directly by the manager (direct technical round).
The manager asked me the following questions:
- As I was from an audit background, I faced the much-awaited question, “Why indirect tax and not audit?” I was well prepared for this question and responded honestly: “That taxation was always my dream, but I took it up because I got audit first after a long wait.”However now if given a chance I would love to take this opportunity and go for Indirect Taxation.
- The next question the manager asked me was, “What do you know of GST?” I replied, “Composition scheme” (like that time, GST was in the introductory stage; I read basic things about GST and studied the composition scheme in GST in detail). Luckily, I was able to explain the composition scheme well to him, and he was happy with my answer.
- Advice to all: Friends, here again, I would like to highlight: be sure of your answers when you reply. Now, when he asked me what I knew about GST, I said the composition scheme. His immediate next question was to explain the composition scheme in detail. So every question is interconnected, so reply appropriately.
Finally, I got a call informing me that I was selected for GT. Again, I just had a technical round as the partner was busy with client engagements back then.
interview dress code (for boys). Usually, as per various firms’ policies, the following dress code may be suitable:
- Formal trousers and shirt
- necktie of a sober colour (can ignore in summers)
- Well-groomed beard
- And the most important thing: be yourself. Don’t get nervous or overly cautious. Many candidates lack confidence. So, whatever your background, being confident (but not overconfident or oversmart) is a plus.
What is the eligibility requirement to be selected as an article assistant at Grant Thornton?
- Must have cleared both IPCC groups (there is always an exception)
- Either have finished regular college or be pursuing a bachelor’s degree via correspondence.
- You should have good positive influencing power (if you can influence the interviewer, the number of attempts hardly matters).
- You can get selected easily without a reference (at least in my experience at the GT NCR branch). I didn’t have any references and still got selected.
- How do I apply? They have a very good communication medium. One connects with the HR department, firm employees, and trainees through Linkedin or their website.
- I am personally very thankful to LinkedIn, as I was able to get interviewed at many big firms by connecting with various seniors and HR on the site.
“How was my article experience at Grant Thornton?”
- The well-set floor, the warm attitude of the HR, the cool administrative staff, and much more were what I experienced on my induction day.
- The life of an indirect tax professional is very different from that of an audit or assurance professional.
- The deep study of the provisions of the GST Act, the advisory to clients, and the relaxed work are all that I was looking for, and touch wood, I got the same opportunity in GT.
- I learned the importance of reading my emails at least five times before sending them to any of our clients, as every word in them carries value.
- In big firms, even though we are restricted to a particular field, deep analysis and learning compensate for that drawback.
Wrapping Up
- If you don’t have any references, you are really going to increase your worth. Yes, it is a bit shocking, but it is true. So, if you don’t have a reference, don’t feel bad or sad.
- In general, all large corporations’ HR departments are active on LinkedIn. You can also contact other articles or employees through LinkedIn, and surely somebody will help you forward your CV to HR.
- Friends, please take the studies for CA Final seriously right from the beginning of articleship. I have many friends in BDO who have a well-planned study pattern and continuously follow it.
- If you need any help forwarding your CV to GT, I am happy to help.