If you're not at a "target" school for big 4 recruiting, it can be very challenging to get noticed. About 85% of new hires come directly from schools that the Big 4 recruit from on an annual basis. There are a few reasons but it mainly comes down to partner preference. In most cases the firm will target all of the top/major universities in the area, and may do some sparse recruiting from the smaller, less reputable schools. Aside from the great education that top universities offer, the partners also want to hire from schools that the C-Suite of their clients came from.
So what do you do if the Big 4 don’t come to you directly? You have to go to them. This is what I did, and it worked.
In the best case scenario, you have a few recruiting seasons to go through so you have time to develop your network and build relationships. If you are reading this a few weeks before the Big 4 go to other schools to recruit, it could be too late but don’t wait any longer. I will go in much more depth in the Big 4 Blueprint to be released later this month, but here are the key things you need to keep in mind.