Parents' Guide

Your child is about to make the decision of their life, and they'll be looking for you for guidance. That first job can be a validation of everything they learned during their university careers, or it can call it into contention. The advice that you give will be invaluable to their decision-making, and we're helping you become informed to help them make the best decision for their future.

BDO is in a unique position as a Canadian accounting firm. As one of Canada's top six accounting firms, we have the size and the staff to take on the needs of our clients, no matter how small, or wide-ranging they may be. But, the important question right now isn't what we can offer our clients. It's what we offer our staff.

Our advantages to our new hires are much the same to them as it is to clients. We are able to offer our new hires the size and resources of the large big 4 firms, but we are able to go above and beyond to ensure success and excellence in the accounting industry, by giving the kind of personalized attention and guidance that are offered by smaller, boutique firms.

BDO's similarities with the Big 4 firms:

• Comprehensive National UFE Preparatory Program (internal and external)
• Various social and team-building events throughout the year
• Full Systems and Technology Support Staff
• Continuous training in all areas of the accounting profession
• Access to various personnel and technological resources
• Various departments of expertise including Assurance & Accounting, Taxation, Financial Advisory Services, Risk Advisory Services, Financial Recovery Services (including Personal Bankruptcy), IT consulting and our new specialty group, Greenhouse Gas Advisory Services.

BDO's similarities with smaller firms:

• Your child is given the opportunity to work in a number of different industries, will not be asked to specialize unless they want to
• A greater level of responsibility is given to staff members, will work on a file from start to finish
• Shorter audits therefore more variety of work
• Firm culture in our offices allow for a high level of personal interaction between levels of staff
• More personal, family-oriented environment, less rigid than large Firms

Global Statistics

Internationally
95 BDO Member Firms, 107 countries and 621 offices
Over 30,000 professionals
2,348 Partners
22,355 Professional Staff
5,011 Support Staff and Others
Worldwide Fees (U.S.) $3,911,000,000
5th in world, ranked by fee volume
As of September 30, 2006

Across Canada

• 96 offices

Over 2,111 professionals

• 303 Partners
• 1,403 Professional Staff
• 405 Support Staff and Others

Gross Revenue (Cdn.) $260,900,319

• 6th Nationally, ranked by fee volume

The numbers behind BDO Dunwoody show the components to our success. We have an established base across Canada, and that size and reach ensures that we have a client base that includes large clients. Your child will get the experience working on these large-scale cases. The advantage of working for BDO Dunwoody is that, as a mid-size firm, our new hires will get more responsibilities on these cases, an important factor in future professional success.

The mid-size firm advantage:

Recent articles and studies have shown that experts and business leaders agree that working for a mid-size firm lead to professional success.

In a recent interview with Accountancy Age, Tony Osude, the Head of Learning and Development of the ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants - the global body for professional accountants, said that mid-tier firms are better hands-on experience. The face-to-face interaction with clients was cited as an important factor for development, almost on par with educational training and development found at larger firms. In his own words: "... you can expect to actually meet your clients in the flesh and have much more dealings with your clients and also, if you want to stay in practice and recognition is important to you, there's a greater chance of being recognized and career tracked." Other studies and surveys have shown the same sentiments among CFO's and other business leaders. In terms of gaining that valuable experience that will make your child a stronger professional, a mid-size firm - like BDO - offers the best opportunity.

BDO by the numbers:

We've long touted ourselves as the best of all worlds, with the size and resources comparable to those of a Big 4 firm, but the personalized attention and guidance you would receive at a small firm.

The BDO Cornerstones

As part of the BDO team, your child will show development on the job, and as a person thanks to the BDO Cornerstones - the principles that we understand build a team and a viable firm culture. At BDO, your child will find his or herself:

1. Working directly with Partners in a team environment,
2. Receiving continuous support through Learning & Development programs,
3. Working directly with a diverse range of clients, and
4. Receiving ongoing feedback and guidance.