Forensic Accounting- Work Experience (1 Viewer)

[Cookie182]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has had any particular exposure to forensic accounting (whilst still at uni) and if vacation programs in forensics are available? From my browse over the Big 4, they don't even seem to offer Forensic jobs to undergrads (could be wrong here, hopefully lol) neverlone vacation work, it appears that auditing is the common route...

Any thoughts?

I'm from the Wollongong area as well, which further limits my options (although I would move to syd for 3 months over summer for a program )

 

[seremify007]

Try to get your hands on the ICAA cadetship book when it is available as from memory there are some insolvency/forensic firms around which might offer cadetships (not sure about this though so don't quote me on it).

That being said, are you sure you wanna do forensic accounting? If you are fresh out of high school, it may be quite a big dive if you wanna try such a highly specialised area of accounting especially since you would have had limited/no accounting experience and corporate experience. If you want to get into forensics later on, maybe try applying for audit cadetships since the skills and development you get in audit will be useful and applicable to forensics. Alternatively having a good reputation within a big firm within the audit practice may help facilitate a secondment or internal transfer.

EDIT: Apologies I misread your original post and thought you were asking about cadetships- I will leave my post intact in case high school students read this. As for Vaccies, I think the Big 4 firms used to offer spots in advisory which can sometimes include a placement within forensics but it's not exactly common and in the current climate I don't know if they are taking on spots in that field compared to the slightly larger and more general restructuring practices.

 

[Cookie182]

Try to get your hands on the ICAA cadetship book when it is available as from memory there are some insolvency/forensic firms around which might offer cadetships (not sure about this though so don't quote me on it).

That being said, are you sure you wanna do forensic accounting? If you are fresh out of high school, it may be quite a big dive if you wanna try such a highly specialised area of accounting especially since you would have had limited/no accounting experience and corporate experience. If you want to get into forensics later on, maybe try applying for audit cadetships since the skills and development you get in audit will be useful and applicable to forensics. Alternatively having a good reputation within a big firm within the audit practice may help facilitate a secondment or internal transfer.

EDIT: Apologies I misread your original post and thought you were asking about cadetships- I will leave my post intact in case high school students read this. As for Vaccies, I think the Big 4 firms used to offer spots in advisory which can sometimes include a placement within forensics but it's not exactly common and in the current climate I don't know if they are taking on spots in that field compared to the slightly larger and more general restructuring practices.

Cheers for the reply, I thought about checking out some local insolvency firms etc down here in the gong

But yea, I have been told that the general route is audit or advisory and obviously you have to standout a fair bit- seems forensics is rather the "cream of the crop". I'm mainly interested in forensics as I'm doing an LLB as well, I thought they would supplement well, but as you said I've never worked a day in ANY accounting, so I may be in for a shock

 

[La Divina]

Deloitte has a vacation program available in forensics. I don't know how many people they take but it didn't seem like many.

They have made offers already, however they may have another round of interviews later in the year. If forensic is still available then, you should apply.

 

[seremify007]

Cheers for the reply, I thought about checking out some local insolvency firms etc down here in the gong

But yea, I have been told that the general route is audit or advisory and obviously you have to standout a fair bit- seems forensics is rather the "cream of the crop". I'm mainly interested in forensics as I'm doing an LLB as well, I thought they would supplement well, but as you said I've never worked a day in ANY accounting, so I may be in for a shock

I just feel forensic accounting is an area where you have to really be good at accounting and know how to reconstruct missing pieces- something which you need to do in audit but obviously not to the same degree.

That being said if you have your heart set on it, go for it. I just think that it will be easier to get a job in audit and at least it gives you a bit more flexibility in your choices in the future (i.e. not just forensics).