Hello nairalanders,

Please i need your advice as to where to start a career as an accountant: a Consulting firm or Banking industry.

What do you think looking at it from all angles.

Pls i need your responses.

filani Dolapo!
Guessed it was u! Am happy you got a job! really happy for you. Keep posting details of tests ro interviews, takia!
Deolah!

hello Deola,

send me ur email addy

i think u should go for the consultanct firm.there u will be able to use the knowledge u acquired in school.a friend of mine just left zenith bank for KPMG.he said he got tired of posting,that is what they do every day.so go where u will utilise what u learnt.but banks pay more sha .congrats

i thought you just got a job in a consultancy firm and you were happy about it well it depends on the bank you are looking at and where you intend making a career. if its for the money, by all means go the bank and dont feel guilty.

yes aproko i just got the consulting job and i'm happy about it but i also av offers from 2 other banks. i want a career and not just about the pay.

I need advice as per CAREER WISE.

Thanks

I'd say you are better off in a consulting firm than in a bank. As an accountant, if you are in the Audit or Financial Advisory practice of a good consulting firm, you get to acquire a wide variety of skills within a shorter period of time than in a Bank. You also get to rise through the ranks at a faster rate - rising to become a Manager within 6 years (or less, depending on your performance rating) strictly based on merit (and not who you know) is not impossible in any of the reputable consulting firms.

If you are good at what you do and you decide to specialise in the Financial Services Industry line of a good consulting firm, you can easily cross over to a bank later and you can be sure you'll be placed at a higher cadre than your peers in the bank.

BUT all actually depends on what YOU want to do. For instance, what role have you been offered in the bank and does it tally with your career aspiration.


P.S. who says banks pay higher than (the good) consulting firms? In the long, and even short, term, you get to earn more as a consultant than as a banker. i.e. using the reputable consulting firms as a benchmark. In any case, Do you want to 'be' or you want to 'have'?  - if it's the former, you are definitely better off as a consultant.

Wish you the best.

Really appreciate and understand your response coolguy, thanks

@dollyfill,

i believe in a consulting firm you would get to do more jobs that relate to accounting. and once you get a professional certification, the sky is your limit. my problem with the bank is that you may end up being in marketing, which has nothing to do with your accounting background or operations where you do all the hard work and get little or no credit and promotions.

at the end of the day, a career in a consultancy firm appears to be more fulfilling. good luck though in whihever you choose.

i would say to develop a career as an accountant in Nigeria, better to work with a consulting firm than with a bank. never worked in a bank before but i have friends who did work in Nigerian banks and i was told the career progression there is nothing to write home about.
i believe working with a consulting firm exposes you to more skills in your career and refihes you for the future ahead.
good luck in all your undertakings

Friend, u`ll realize taht everyone favors consulting firms. Theres a lot of benefits, more pay, more experience and who knows u might have to consut for the banks. Pls choose wisely! i graduated in 2004 and i`ve been in one consulting firm or another - not the so called recruitment agensies in Nigeria who refer to themselves as consulting firms, but mgt consulting firms. Iv had to sit with former head of state, ministers, bank MDs, ambassadors MDs of other sectors like Power etc In 2yrs or so i`ll say i`v lernt more than what any industry can offer. So think well!!!

CoolGuyB, you are definitely a consultant or an ex-Consultant with one of the firms! You hit it right.

Dollyfil, like CoolGuyB said, you will be better off in the consulting firm. You will surely acquire a lot of skills working in a consulting firm and skills are what counts now. You get exposed to Top-level executives working for various companies including banks if you are in the financial advisory and services area and will develop extensive knowledge of the sector. Career progression is very good in consulting firms if you perform well. You will be talking Management grammar very soon and will see the difference when you interview for another job later! People have left consulting firms for Banks at a much higher level and some moved to Oil and Gas companies. It is better you 'be' now as you will definitely 'have' later.

Thank you all for your response, really appreciate it. i can easily make up my mind now.