Should He Drop Engineering for a Career in Taxation?
Dear Jarus,
I need your advice for a friend of mine.
He was my friend in school, very smart. He studied Civil Engineering, came out with first class from a federal university Completed NYSC few months ago.
After NYSC he joined a tech marketing firm, to keep busy. He’s been there for less than 3 months.
He has also started looking towards pursuing a Masters degree in Civil Engineering in Germany. He knows it’s tuition free but there are other expenses, which he’s trying factor in. HE’s learning the ropes.
Recently, the Big 4 firm called him. They gave him an offer. Management Trainee in Tax or something like that. But they told him he’ll have to start taking professional courses, ICAN and all, when he comes on board.
He’s now in a dilemma. He knows that Big 4 firm will look good on his career climb, but the offer isn’t Engineering related, not even Management consulting. He knows he can do any professional course required but is scared about job satisfaction. He’s open minded and says he may like the switch. But he needs as much info as he can get to make an informed decision.
I’d appreciate any advice you (and your friends) can give.
Thanks in anticipation.
John
***
Dear John
It depends on interest. Tax is a very good field. That Big 4 firm is a very good brand. And he is smart to have had a first class in engineering. If he decides to develop the interest, I think he would have a good career in taxation. He may have to forget engineering career.
The thing with tax is, once you start your career there, you will likely spend the rest of your career there. Even within management/accounting fields, tax is so unique. It is rare for people to move out of a career in tax.
He may never get management consulting role except he applies for one elsewhere within the first 2 years of his career (when he is still considered entry level, and area of experience does not count). Within those first 2 years, he could also apply for engineering role as an entry level if an opportunity in a good company surfaces. But if he is not able to switch from tax within 2 years, he may never be able to switch again.
Tax is itself a very good field. I am proud to have had 9 years career in it. My boss had first class in Physics from Oxford, but he is today a tax guru, thanks to start of career in a Big 4 like your friend. I’m sure he would enjoy taxation and experience in a Big 4, so the issue of job satisfaction may not be a problem. If it is, he still has 2 years to seek other more fulfilling opportunities.
All the best.
Jarus
PS: Big 4 is used to refer to the 4 biggest professional services firms in the world. They are Ersnt & Young, KPMG, PwC and Deloitte.
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