Would you rather visit London or Paris?

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

The River Thames or The Seine?

[HillGoose]

London, Anglosphere ftmfw.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

London, because I only speak English.

[Mr. Smith]

Paris, but only because I've already been to London.

[Lechasseur]

I've been to both, and frankly I much prefer London; the only thing that's better about Paris as far as I'm concerned is it's much cheaper than London.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Paris is special.

[thumb21]

London is much better, but I'd rather go to Paris because I've been to London so many times.

[Badger]

Paris, but only because I've already been to London.

[UWS]

London because I already visited Paris. Both wonderful cities.

[Consciously Unconscious]

London, even though I've already been to there and haven't been to Paris.  Paris has just never attracted me, I guess.  London is also where all of the big 4 accounting firm HQs are, so it'd be cool to get to work there for a while. 

[mvd10]

Paris because I've already visited London and it seems like a very interesting city. I'd obviously rather work/live in London though (don't speak French).

London, even though I've already been to there and haven't been to Paris.  Paris has just never attracted me, I guess.  London is also where all of the big 4 accounting firm HQs are, so it'd be cool to get to work there for a while. 

Aren't the big 4 based in pretty much any major city in the entire Western World? Or do you specifically want to work at the HQ? Because I can't imagine they don't have good jobs in Paris too.

[Santander]

London, even though I've already been to there and haven't been to Paris.  Paris has just never attracted me, I guess.  London is also where all of the big 4 accounting firm HQs are, so it'd be cool to get to work there for a while.  

Aren't the big 4 based in pretty much any major city in the entire Western World? Or do you specifically want to work at the HQ? Because I can't imagine they don't have good jobs in Paris too.

The "HQ" is literally a legal domicile and a very small associated administration group. It's like saying you want to live in Delaware because many corporations are incorporated there. Also, Deloitte is legally domiciled in NY and KPMG is domiciled in Amstelveen, so this is an extremely misinformed post before you even get to that point.

[Alabama_Indy10]

I would love to go to either.

[Consciously Unconscious]

London, even though I've already been to there and haven't been to Paris.  Paris has just never attracted me, I guess.  London is also where all of the big 4 accounting firm HQs are, so it'd be cool to get to work there for a while.  

Aren't the big 4 based in pretty much any major city in the entire Western World? Or do you specifically want to work at the HQ? Because I can't imagine they don't have good jobs in Paris too.

The "HQ" is literally a legal domicile and a very small associated administration group. It's like saying you want to live in Delaware because many corporations are incorporated there. Also, Deloitte is legally domiciled in NY and KPMG is domiciled in Amstelveen, so this is an extremely misinformed post before you even get to that point.

Deloitte is domiciled in the UK actualy (US HQ is in NY), but you're right about KPMG.  I was wrong, but I do forget about them because they're not on the same level. And it's far more about being in a world finance center.  Of course there's big 4 in every major western city, and of course I know that.  London is far more of a center for finance than Paris though, which is what would be more attractive.  This conversation was literally just about Paris vs. NY.  I pointed out that the HQs were there because it's a big finance city. 

[mvd10]

London, even though I've already been to there and haven't been to Paris.  Paris has just never attracted me, I guess.  London is also where all of the big 4 accounting firm HQs are, so it'd be cool to get to work there for a while.  

Aren't the big 4 based in pretty much any major city in the entire Western World? Or do you specifically want to work at the HQ? Because I can't imagine they don't have good jobs in Paris too.

The "HQ" is literally a legal domicile and a very small associated administration group. It's like saying you want to live in Delaware because many corporations are incorporated there. Also, Deloitte is legally domiciled in NY and KPMG is domiciled in Amstelveen, so this is an extremely misinformed post before you even get to that point.

Deloitte is domiciled in the UK actualy (US HQ is in NY), but you're right about KPMG.  I was wrong, but I do forget about them because they're not on the same level. And it's far more about being in a world finance center.  Of course there's big 4 in every major western city, and of course I know that.  London is far more of a center for finance than Paris though, which is what would be more attractive.  This conversation was literally just about Paris vs. NY.  I pointed out that the HQs were there because it's a big finance city. 

Well, KPMG is smaller than the other ones but since they're about 5x as big as the number 5 I think they belong to the big 4 without a doubt. I don't know jacksh**t about accounting (my irrational hatred for accounting only grew stronger after I had a terrific grade for an introductionary accounting class and the professor suggested I'd end up there - the horror) but I suppose all the other financial activities in London might give you good opportunities to switch to something proper . Or do you want to work for their consulting/M&A advisory branches? Are they any good? I always had the impression they just were the drain for everyone who couldn't get a job at an actual investment bank/consultant. Then again, you probably should be able to have a social life at a big 4 company, which should be worth something.

[Consciously Unconscious]

London, even though I've already been to there and haven't been to Paris.  Paris has just never attracted me, I guess.  London is also where all of the big 4 accounting firm HQs are, so it'd be cool to get to work there for a while.  

Aren't the big 4 based in pretty much any major city in the entire Western World? Or do you specifically want to work at the HQ? Because I can't imagine they don't have good jobs in Paris too.

The "HQ" is literally a legal domicile and a very small associated administration group. It's like saying you want to live in Delaware because many corporations are incorporated there. Also, Deloitte is legally domiciled in NY and KPMG is domiciled in Amstelveen, so this is an extremely misinformed post before you even get to that point.

Deloitte is domiciled in the UK actualy (US HQ is in NY), but you're right about KPMG.  I was wrong, but I do forget about them because they're not on the same level. And it's far more about being in a world finance center.  Of course there's big 4 in every major western city, and of course I know that.  London is far more of a center for finance than Paris though, which is what would be more attractive.  This conversation was literally just about Paris vs. NY.  I pointed out that the HQs were there because it's a big finance city. 

Well, KPMG is smaller than the other ones but since they're about 5x as big as the number 5 I think they belong to the big 4 without a doubt. I don't know jacksh**t about accounting (my irrational hatred for accounting only grew stronger after I had a terrific grade for an introductionary accounting class and the professor suggested I'd end up there - the horror) but I suppose all the other financial activities in London might give you good opportunities to switch to something proper . Or do you want to work for their consulting/M&A advisory branches? Are they any good? I always had the impression they just were the drain for everyone who couldn't get a job at an actual investment bank/consultant. Then again, you probably should be able to have a social life at a big 4 company, which should be worth something.

Oh without a doubt KPMG is huge and there's not too much difference between it and the other big 4firms.  (I don't think even the revenue of the next 6 firms combines comes anywhere close to KPMG).  I just said something innacurate, and it's a common joke among the other big 4 that KPMG isn't as good.  I was trying to make light of my error, although that probably didn't come across haha.

I do eventually want to switch into advisory/consulting, although I'm not sure I'd do it for the big 4.  And advisory is the fasting growing sector for most or all of the big 4, and it's definitely growing in prestige.  I'll be starting off in audit though, which I'm still really excited about. 

[parochial boy]

eh, big 4 is  decent place to start your career, but a terrible place to spend it.

I spent 3 years at PWC, and leaving was the best decision I could have made.

[Consciously Unconscious]

eh, big 4 is  decent place to start your career, but a terrible place to spend it.

I spent 3 years at PWC, and leaving was the best decision I could have made.

Well I'm just starting, so I think I'll be ok.   I can definitely understand already why it wears on people. 

[parochial boy]

eh, big 4 is  decent place to start your career, but a terrible place to spend it.

I spent 3 years at PWC, and leaving was the best decision I could have made.

Well I'm just starting, so I think I'll be ok.   I can definitely understand already why it wears on people. 

Yeah, I mean the number of jobs that you come across that specify big 4 experience required is insane. But audit is what it is (as an industry, it is totally fücked, you'll figure out why soon enough (not so much that it is boring or valueless, it's that the way the market works is fundamentally broken); and only a real PWC drone would tell you otherwise).

Advisory isn't much better in many ways - it's the same old reliance on models, and box ticking and drawing tedious process flows and the like - maybe if you are doing something super technical, but it's down to you to decide if you like the technical side of things.

[Consciously Unconscious]

eh, big 4 is  decent place to start your career, but a terrible place to spend it.

I spent 3 years at PWC, and leaving was the best decision I could have made.

Well I'm just starting, so I think I'll be ok.   I can definitely understand already why it wears on people. 

Yeah, I mean the number of jobs that you come across that specify big 4 experience required is insane. But audit is what it is (as an industry, it is totally fücked, you'll figure out why soon enough (not so much that it is boring or valueless, it's that the way the market works is fundamentally broken); and only a real PWC drone would tell you otherwise).

Advisory isn't much better in many ways - it's the same old reliance on models, and box ticking and drawing tedious process flows and the like - maybe if you are doing something super technical, but it's down to you to decide if you like the technical side of things.

It's mainly about the options you mentioned.  I want to work for a F500 multi national company someday, and if I'm going to do accounting for them then they're looking for audit experience, usualy big 4. 

[DINGO Joe]

Paris.  Better art and better food.

[Santander]

Paris.  Better art and better food.

Is the art really that much better, though? Going to an auction preview at Sotheby's or Christie's is often a far more interesting experience than visiting a crowded museum in Paris. Even a simple auction catalog can be more educational than an audio or guided museum tour,  and if there is a specialist around with a bit of time on their hands, you can have a deeper and more engaging conversation than you would get at any museum. The museum scene in London (apologies for the BRTD-esque vocabulary) is not exactly terrible, either...

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

When I visited both several years ago, I felt more of a connection to London. However, after being in London (for just a layover) this year, I wasn't sure I liked it so much. Plus France has its political sh**t together better than the UK. Right now, I'm on the fence.

(Personally, I think Madrid is Europe's best city)

[RINO Tom]

In theory, Paris.  However, I have been to Paris a few times and haven't been to London since I was younger.  I'm going to vote London, as I think I really need to visit again now that I can appreciate it better and, of course, drink.

[Beet]

London. I've been to Paris already.