An FDD job involves working in financial due diligence — reviewing a target company's financials before an acquisition, investment, or lending decision. Day-to-day work covers quality of earnings, EBITDA adjustments, working capital analysis, net debt, and red-flag identification, usually as part of a transaction advisory team. In India, most FDD roles are with the Big 4 (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC), mid-tier advisory firms, and boutique M&A practices.

Financial due diligence for M&A is the buy-side investigation of a target company's financial performance before a deal is signed. It verifies whether reported revenue and profits are sustainable, quantifies EBITDA adjustments, working capital needs, and net debt, and surfaces hidden risks that affect valuation. The findings are documented in an FDD report that buyers use for price negotiation and for structuring the share purchase agreement.

Start by understanding the deal context and finalising the scope, then gather historical financials, management accounts, and tax/statutory records. Analyse revenue and margin trends, test earnings quality, identify one-off items for EBITDA adjustments, assess working capital and net debt, and review related-party transactions and contingencies. Clarify anomalies with management and close with a report summarising findings, red flags, and their impact on valuation.

A financial due diligence checklist is a structured list of the areas and items reviewed during FDD — revenue recognition and customer concentration, margin sustainability, EBITDA and one-off adjustments, working capital levels, debt and contingent liabilities, related-party transactions, accounting policies, and tax/statutory compliance. It standardises the review across deals and ensures key risks are not missed before the final report.

A financial due diligence audit refers to the investigative review of a company's financials carried out before a transaction — but it is not a statutory audit. A statutory audit is a mandatory annual examination under the Companies Act resulting in an audit opinion, while FDD is a voluntary, deal-driven exercise focused on earnings quality, adjustments, and risks that impact valuation. The two differ in purpose, depth, and output.

Build a strong base in accounting and financial statement analysis (CA, MBA Finance, or B.Com with strong Excel), learn core FDD concepts like quality of earnings and working capital analysis, and apply to transaction advisory or due diligence teams at the Big 4, mid-tier firms, and boutiques. Use campus placements, job portals, LinkedIn outreach, and referrals, and tailor your resume to highlight audit, analysis, or valuation exposure — technical interviews will test your grasp of financial statements.

Yes — CA freshers are among the most preferred candidates for FDD roles in India. Big 4 and advisory firms regularly hire qualified CAs into analyst and associate positions in transaction due diligence, since articleship exposure to audits and financial statements transfers well. Expect technical rounds on accounting standards, financial analysis, and Excel, so prepare those areas before applying.

Mumbai has the deepest FDD market in India — the Big 4's transaction services practices, mid-tier advisory firms, investment banks, and PE-backed corporates all hire there. Search for "transaction advisory", "transaction services", and "due diligence" roles on LinkedIn, Naukri, and the ICAI placement portal, and use referrals from people already in these teams. CA and MBA candidates with audit or analysis backgrounds are shortlisted most often.

Yes, though it is harder at the fresher level. UAE-based Big 4 and advisory firms actively hire for FDD and usually prefer candidates with around 2–4 years of Indian deal or audit experience, with CA being a strong advantage. Apply through firm career portals and LinkedIn, network with professionals in Dubai's transaction advisory teams, and highlight any exposure to international clients or IFRS.

Entry-level financial due diligence salary in India typically ranges from about ₹6–10 lakh per annum, with CA freshers at Big 4 firms usually at the higher end. With 3–5 years of deal experience, professionals commonly move into the ₹15–25+ LPA band, and senior roles pay significantly more. Actual figures vary with qualification, firm, city, and deal exposure.

Deloitte's FDD work sits within its M&A Transaction Services / Financial Advisory practice. Apply through the Deloitte careers portal, campus placements, or referrals with a resume that highlights audit, valuation, or transaction exposure. The process typically involves a technical interview on financial statement analysis, EBITDA adjustments, and working capital, followed by a managerial or partner round focused on communication and commercial thinking.

Expect questions on the three financial statements and how they link, quality of earnings, common EBITDA adjustments, working capital and net debt analysis, red flags in financials, basic valuation methods, and Ind AS fundamentals. Many interviews also include a small case study or Excel exercise, so be ready to apply concepts rather than only define them.

Build your FDD interview prep in layers: first revise the three financial statements and key Ind AS topics, then learn core FDD concepts like quality of earnings, EBITDA adjustments, working capital, and net debt, and finally practise with case studies and sample questions. Rehearsing aloud — ideally through a mock interview with someone from a due diligence background — helps you structure answers under time pressure.

Most commonly you'll get a mini quality-of-earnings exercise: a set of financial statements with embedded one-offs or accounting anomalies, where you must identify red flags, suggest EBITDA adjustments, and work out normalised earnings or a working capital gap. Some firms run it as a timed Excel task. Interviewers assess your structure, assumptions, and commercial reasoning more than a perfect answer.

Since FDD is not formally taught in most degrees, a practical financial due diligence course or webinar can genuinely help — but judge it by content, not the certificate. Look for practitioner-led sessions covering quality of earnings, EBITDA adjustments, working capital and net debt analysis, and report reading or writing, ideally with real case studies. A short, focused session is a low-cost way to test whether the field suits you before committing to a longer programme.