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Articleship is an integral part of the CA program, and every CA aspirant wants to pursue his/her articleship from the topmost CA firms available. Apart from the effort a candidate makes, the firm where he or she has his or her articleship, also plays a very important role.
Articleship can be done under any accounting firm under a certified CA, and CA aspirants usually want to get it done under one of the big four, which is a group of the top 4 accounting firms in the world.
Top 4 Accounting Firms:
To be an article at one of them is a dream of every CA aspirant. They start thinking about it right from their foundation-level exams.
After completing their foundation (CPT) and intermediate (IPCC) levels, they go for KPMG articleship, and today we will tell you about the process of applying for KPMG articleship at one of them. In this article, we start with KPMG.
Before this, let us understand the pattern of the CA exams with all the necessary steps in detail as there may be many readers who are still preparing for the CPT.
To become a chartered accountant with the ICAI, one must pass three levels of exams:
- The first level of CPT, or Foundation. If you enroll in the CA program before graduating, you must take this exam. After class 12, you can enroll in CPT.
- Second-level IPCC exam (or as now called CA intermediate). There are two groups: Group 1 and Group 2.
- CA Final: This is the final level of the CA exam, and it has two groups: Group 1 and Group 2.
Now, the KPMG articleship takes place between the second and final levels. This begins once you have cleared IPCC, either in both or any of the groups. It is for three years and it can be conducted for two-three years. CA aspirants can also choose to do Industrial Training in the third year after 2 years of articleship. It is your call if you want to continue articleship or join industrial training, for which there is a whole different procedure.
How to apply for a CA Articleship in KPMG
Before starting out with the KPMG articleship seeking process, let us know some of the myths prevalent in the society that prevent CA aspirants, from going to the Big Four for articleship.
- To get into a Big 4 firm, you'll need connections: This is one of the most common misconceptions that prevent CA aspirants from applying to large accounting companies. You can apply for KPMG articleship by yourself through the firm's official website.
- Only candidates who clear CPT and IPCC in 1st attempt can apply: In reality, there is nothing like that. But you should try your level best to pass all the exams on the 1st attempt as it saves you time and has different perks. But at KPMG, there are no perks for first attempts. You just need to pass both levels to be able to pursue a CA articleship from KPMG.
Well, now you know the requirements to be an articleship in KPMG. If you have cleared both levels or are just about to clear them, then here are given the steps to be followed to be an article here at KPMG.
Online test
- Take the online test, the link to which will be available on the official website of KPMG, after which you will be invited to a GD round at the KPMG office.
- The online test is primarily focused on overall ability and subject knowledge.
The test includes questions to assess your mathematical aptitude, general knowledge, English, and technical skills. Technical skills differ depending on whether you choose tax or audit. All of the questions are multiple-choice. You'd have one minute per question.
To clarify, if you have 10 questions in the GK section, you will have 10 minutes. However, if you complete all of the questions in less than 10 minutes, your balance will not be carried forward to the balance sections.
Practice for it as much as possible, and if possible, take help from a senior and get things done in an appropriate manner. Broaden your subject knowledge and gain familiarity with various accounting concepts by revising your course materials.
This online exam is the stepping stone for your career. From here you start your professional journey with the most suitable working environment to grow, as KPMG is known for its employee-friendly environment.
Group discussion
- Based on your performance in the GD round, 4 to 5 candidates are chosen for the next round from a pool of approximately 10 candidates.
- The topic of GD is generally a common topic ranging from GST to social media, among other things. It could range from a general topic that was popular at the time to high school topics.
Your communication skills play a crucial role here. But is it about this only? No, communication is a two-way process, so don't just keep speaking but listen too. Prove, that you are not only a good speaker but also an avid listener.
Above all, say only relevant things with proper body language, eye contact, hand movement, etc. Simply learn the GD skills and try to practice them with your colleagues as it will be beneficial for them as well.
HR round
- HR primarily discusses your personal and educational information.
- This is more of a discussion than an interview.
- HR tries to understand your expectations as well as the expectations of the company.
Here your concepts should be clear as there is nothing serious, but you need to be clear with your points. Your expectations, if you have any questions, then feel free to ask. Be straightforward but with politeness. Share your vision if you have any and answer confidently.
It does not end here. After this, you'll need to prepare for the next round, which is,
Partner round
- The partner round is essentially a "technical round,' with questions relating to Accounting Standards (AS), Ind AS, and so on.
- They expect you to have a basic understanding of AS
- The questions are mostly based on the CA IPCC section and are simple to answer if you know your basics. You must be aware of the following;
If you selected Audit as your profile,
- Auditing standards,
- Accounting standards,
- and basic knowledge of Ind AS (Indian accounting standards).
If you have chosen Tax as your profile: -
- GST
Also, read something about the following as well.
- BEPS Model
- DTAA
- Equalization levy
- Recent tax developments
To put it simply, KPMG hires articles ('Staff Accountant' is what articled trainees are called) in two areas: Statutory Audit and Tax. Internal Audit, for example, is not available for articleship at KPMG.
Make sure you are updated with all new and old rules regulations, and amendments. You need to be readily updated with accounting standards. Look for the details of accounting. Here your smartness, acumen and present wit play the most important role.
Thus, this is how the article recruitment process at KMPG ends and the articleship starts. This is a golden opportunity, and there are some important points to know.
Do not pass up this opportunity because KPMG is not only a great place to start your career but also to advance it.
- Note 1: KPMG only provides article ships in statutory audits, not internal audits.
- Note 2: There are four types of taxes: IDT, Corporate Tax, Transfer Pricing, and M & A Tax.
- Note 3: CA Articleship salary in KPMG ranges between ₹ 1.8 Lakhs to ₹ 3.7 Lakhs PA.
There is advice for candidates to conduct extensive research on a variety of topics, including what types of questions the Big 4 HR departments pose. Reading newspapers will help a lot in preparing for articleship in KPMG.
We hope the above information can help you take a better decision.
Thanks for Reading!
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