In the Black: Vault's Finance Careers Blog
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Dear Class of 2012, By now you've no doubt read report after report telling how you and your fellow graduates are entering the worst job market since the Ice Age. Perhaps you've also read the extremely strange op-ed published this past Monday by what's supposedly one of our country's finest media outlets telling you that not only are you entering a doomed and gloomy job market, but you're probably the dumbest, most ignorant and hopeless bunch of college graduates to ever walk the face of the nation[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Although not every investment banking analyst who works in corporate finance or M&A for a bulge-bracket bank (Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, etc.) puts in 80 hours a week constantly throughout the year, many of them do just that.
In fact, according to Vault's latest Banking Survey, which we've been admistering since March and will be using to determine our forthcoming 2013 Vault Banking 50, 35 percent of corporate finance bankers say they work more than 80 hours per week, while 60[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
For the third year in a row, PwC ranked as the most prestigious accounting firm in Vault’s annual Accounting Survey. This year, more than 4,100 accountants took our survey, and what respondents at PwC’s competitors told us is that PwC’s employees “have superb credentials, receive outstanding training and experience,” and the firm’s “client list includes the major players.”
Although PwC just barely beat out second-place finisher Ernst & Young (which has “quality people,” puts out “quality work,”[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Monday, April 16, 2012
Vault has been releasing rankings of the top accounting firms in North America for nearly a decade. When Vault initially began ranking accounting firms, we only ranked firms in terms of prestige—that is, in terms of a firm’s reputation as perceived by professionals at other accounting firms. Later, we increased our ranking offerings to include “quality of life” categories such as firm culture, compensation, diversity, training, hours, and job satisfaction. In these categories, firms were rated by[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, April 11, 2012
According to a recent ranking by CareerCast.com, the best job in the world (based on physical demands, work environment, income, stress, and hiring outlook) is software engineer. Which may come as no surprise. However, I would bet you half your tax return that you couldn't guess what the second best job in the world is even if I were to give you sixteen guesses.
In any case, the answer is actuary. And in honor of the often-overlooked actuary's commendable second-place finish in the best job in the[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, April 04, 2012
To most people, the term “Wall Street” conjures images of cleanly shaven white men wearing short haircuts and blue or gray pinstripe suits, scurrying in and out of cabs and skyscrapers—in New York City. However, while it's true that the banks that figuratively make up what’s commonly referred to as Wall Street are largely filled with Caucasian males without facial hair and with the finest in worsted wool, these firms do, in fact, have operations outside of Manhattan in places like (or, at least,[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, March 28, 2012
We're two weeks away from releasing our annual Vault Accounting 50, a ranking of the best accounting firms to work for in North America. And, this year, as in the past two, the Vault 50 doesn't only rank firms in the area of prestige, but also in other important "quality of life" categories. This year, allong with prestige, the Vault 50 takes into account compensation, firm culture, overall job satisfaction, business outlook, and, that often vague but very important category, work/life balance. And[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, March 21, 2012
This year, a record number of accountants filled out our annual Accounting Survey, the results of which are used to create the Vault Accounting 50, a ranking of the best accounting firms to work for in North America. Below is a short quiz (with answers at bottom) that highlights some of the survey's demographic and general findings (note: complete and firm-specific results will be available in just over three weeks). Good luck.
1. Approximately what percentage of respondents previously held internships[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Each year, Vault's annual Accounting Survey asks thousands of accountants to rate their peer firms in terms of prestige. In a few weeks, we'll reveal which firm ranked No. 1 this year. This means we'll soon know the answer to these questions: Will PricewaterhouseCoopers (which ranked No. 1 the past three years) retain its title? Will Deloitte, which ranked as the most prestigious four years ago, return to the top? Or will Ernst & Young, KPMG, Grant Thornton, or another (smaller) firm rank as[...] Read More >>
by Derek Loosvelt | Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Next month, Vault will released its latest Accounting Rankings, which will include the new Vault Accounting 50, a ranking of the best accounting firms to work in North America. As they are every year, the rankings are based on Vault’s annual Accounting Survey, which asks professionals at top accounting firms to rate their peer firms in terms of prestige, and to rate their own firms in several quality of life categories, including firm culture, work/life balance, compensation, hours, overall satisfaction,[...] Read More >>
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