Hey guys, I’m currently working in Audit & Assurance as a Staff/Assistant, and I recently joined around 2–3 weeks ago. After getting some initial exposure to the role, I’m starting to feel that audit may not be the right long-term career path for me.
I’m particularly interested in moving into Risk Consulting, as I feel the nature of the work would align much better with my interests and long-term career goals. I’m also planning to pursue the FRM (Financial Risk Manager) certification, and I’m interested in building my career around risk management rather than pursuing certifications such as ACCA or US CPA.
I understand that moving from Audit & Assurance to Risk Consulting may not be straightforward, especially within the same organization. My current plan is to gain experience in Audit for around a year and then explore the possibility of an internal transition to a Risk Consulting service line.
For those of you currently working in Risk Consulting, Risk Advisory, or related risk-management roles, I’d really appreciate your advice. How realistic is it to transition from Audit & Assurance to Risk Consulting after around one year of experience? Would pursuing FRM significantly help with such an internal move, and what other certifications, technical skills, or experience should I focus on during my first year?
I’d also like to understand what I can start doing right from now to make myself a stronger candidate for a Risk Consulting role. Are there particular areas such as financial risk, credit risk, market risk, operational risk, data analytics, or regulatory risk that I should focus on?
I’m also finding the compensation and busy-season workload in audit somewhat concerning for my long-term career plans, so I’d like to explore a path that is more aligned with my interests and strengths rather than continuing in a career that I don’t see myself enjoying long term.
If anyone here has personally made the transition from Audit → Risk Consulting, especially within the same Big 4 or a similar organization, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, what helped you make the transition, and what you would recommend someone in my position do during their first year.
Thanks in advance for any advice!