Is it possible to pivot into IB after Big4?

Question

Hi all,

I’m currently working in Big 4 audit, a little over a year and a half in, and I’m seriously thinking about pivoting into Investment Banking, ideally for analyst roles in 2026. I’m aware that this is a later start compared to the typical pipeline of spring weeks, sophomore programs and early internships, so I’d like to understand how feasible this path really is. I’ve built a fairly strong foundation during university and have now passed CFA Level I with Level II underway. I’ve also gained solid exposure to financial statements through my audit work on several financial services clients, and I regularly practice modeling and valuation on my own, although I don’t have any formal transaction experience.

What I’m unsure about is how banks perceive candidates who come from audit. Do people actually manage to lateral into IB from this background, or is it extremely uncommon? And for someone coming from audit, how do you best position your story in interviews so it doesn’t sound like a last-minute career switch but rather a thoughtful, intentional progression?

Would really appreciate your thoughts!

Answer 1

Banks generally see audit as a weaker starting point for IB than transaction-focused roles, but not as a dead end. People do lateral from audit into investment banking, but it is uncommon rather than impossible. The reason is simple: audit builds strong accounting discipline, but it usually offers limited exposure to valuation, deal execution, or investment decision-making. That gap is what banks focus on.

Where candidates from audit do succeed is when they actively bridge that gap rather than trying to hide their background. In practice, this often means one of three things: moving internally into TAS or Corporate Finance first, building strong deal-related experience alongside audit, or networking into smaller IB or boutique teams that are more flexible on background.

How you tell your story matters a lot. The biggest mistake is framing the move as “I realised audit isn’t for me and now I want IB.” That sounds reactive. A stronger narrative is to position audit as a deliberate foundation. You started by building a deep understanding of financial statements, controls, and how numbers are constructed, and through that exposure you became increasingly interested in transactions, valuation, and how businesses are actually priced and bought or sold. The pivot then becomes a natural progression toward more decision-driven, deal-oriented work, not a last-minute change.

In interviews, be very concrete. Talk about moments in audit where you went beyond ticking boxes, for example analysing drivers behind performance, understanding how accounting choices affect valuation, or interacting with transaction teams. Then clearly explain what you have done to prepare for IB, such as self-study in valuation, relevant side projects, internal exposure, or deal-related work.

So yes, lateraling from audit into IB is harder and less common, but it does happen. The candidates who make it are those who acknowledge the limitations of audit, actively close the skill gap, and present a coherent story that shows intention rather than escape.