Is Big 4 the right step for me?
I’m finishing my second year at a top university in Sweden (3-year bachelor’s). I’m Asian and don’t speak Swedish fluently, which has made recruiting a bit tougher here.
This summer I landed an IB internship in Asia (nepo position), and today I accepted an internship offer from KPMG Sweden in their Capital Markets division for after the summer. (not nepo)
My long-term goal is still IB or maybe PE, although I’m starting to wonder how realistic that is. My GPA is average, not terrible but definitely not standout, and visa sponsorship is another issue. The last couple of years have honestly been rough personally and academically, so I feel like I haven’t really performed at my full potential.
Part of me feels like I should aim higher while I still can, but another part thinks Big 4 might be the more realistic path given my situation. I’d ideally like to stay in Sweden long term, but I also worry that my degree won’t carry much weight back in Asia if I eventually have to move back.
Does Big 4 Capital Markets seem like a good step toward IB in my situation, or should I be trying harder to lateral directly into banking? Would appreciate honest advice from people who’ve been through something similar.