Charlie G.
About me
| Charlie G. | |
| Economics and Related Studies | |
| Economics | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Goodricke | |
| 2010 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Audit Senior | |
| KPMG UK LLP | |
| United Kingdom | |
| 2011 | |
| £20000 |
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A day in the life of a Audit Senior in the United Kingdom
My career history
I applied for my job before my final year, and therefore once graduated, I joined KPMG straight away. I joined the Leeds office Audit department, and still work there currently.
Courses taken since graduation
ACA
Where I hope to be in 5 years
I hope to gain experience in other departments, and move into mergers and acquisitions.
My advice to students considering work
I think planning and taking the opportunities available are the key points. Typically graduate schemes are heavily oversubscribed, so anything on your application form that differentiates you from your peers will be very important. You may not think it is enhancing your employability to be in a sports team or society, but it is more about what you take from that involvement, and how you can portray that as an asset to your potential employer.
My advice would be to research the positions you are looking at, to find out exactly what department would be the best fit for you, and to apply early. Merely the fact that you are applying before your final year will put you a step in front of those who graduate and then apply for jobs.
My advice about working in my industry
My advice would be to research the positions you are looking at, to find out exactly what department would be the best fit for you, and to apply early. Merely the fact that you are applying before your final year will put you a step in front of those who graduate and then apply for jobs.
What I do
I am based in Leeds, within the Audit department of KPMG. In the Audit department we provide assurance over the financial position and performance of companies. This involves performing testing over the numbers and narrative included within the financial statements.
My job is heavily client-facing, with the majority of our testing being carried out at the client's offices. Therefore, this involves travelling all over the country, and meeting senior members of the client businesses.
Skills I use and how I developed them
There was a prerequisite of obtaining a 2:1 degree in order to confirm the job offer.
Degree skills:
I think a general analytical approach to ideas and problems was developed through my degree. This isn't something that is easily quantifiable, but is very important in all careers.
Extracurricular skills:
The ability to build a rapport with my clients is key to my job, as it makes the whole process run more smoothly. I think York helped with this, as the collegiate focus means you meet lots of different people, and hear different takes on life.
What I like most
The opportunity to gain an understanding of many diverse businesses, and the interaction with senior members of the client staff.
There is a steep learning curve, but the knowledge gained will allow you to move almost anywhere within finance.
What I like least
What would I change? I would have deferred my graduate scheme and travelled for a year - although at the time, getting a job was difficult enough.
Next steps...
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