Chemnitz_zieht_an_Magazin_2024_englisch

Hand on heart, Ms Lüth, how many of your
applicants have always had a childhood dream
of working in the tax sector when they
grew up?
(laughs) I have to admit it rarely happens.
That makes it all the more important for us
to share our enthusiasm for this profession
from an early stage and to dispel
any misconceptions. Of course, this is part
of diligent public relations work. We are
represented at trade fairs, take part in
open days, go to schools and give young
people the opportunity to get a taste of
the company through a work placement
at any time. Anyone who dares to experiment
and take a look behind the scenes
at our company will quickly realise how
exciting this field of work can be and that
we don’t just leaf through tax documents
in a quiet room. Thanks to our active work
with young people, we have been training
assistant tax consultants and office management
assistants in our company for
over 30 years. In addition, we are a training
partner for the vocational academies in
Dresden and Glauchau.
What makes the work so exciting in your
eyes?
First and foremost, it’s working with people
who come from a wide variety of industries
– from car mechanics to book authors,
from cabaret artists to corporate groups.
It’s important to have a good understanding
of figures and to be able to interpret
those figures in the context in which the
individual client operates. This is the foundation
of our consulting work. The increasing
digitalisation of our industry is also an
exciting process. And no one should shy
away from familiarising themselves with
the wording of the legislation. It changes
frequently, which is why our profession
never stands still.
Speaking of legislation, sometimes even we
Germans find it difficult to understand those
texts. I can imagine that they are an even
greater hurdle for people with a migration
background.
That’s right: it means that good German
language skills are the be-all and end-all.
For international skilled workers, further
training such as German language courses
is stipulated in their employment contract
and regulated in terms of remuneration.
On the other hand, we offer free English
lessons for all employees to minimise language
barriers. This is particularly important
in the context of increasing internationalisation.
Quite a few of our clients are
expanding abroad, for example. To support
such companies with overseas operations,
we work with Inpact International, an international
alliance of auditors. They know the
legal regulations in the country in question,
so they can support us.
That has got to be easier than bringing
international experts into the company...
Definitely. Nevertheless, we are open
to every professional from abroad who
wants to gain a foothold in our industry
and especially at SRS Audit. But unlike
in IT companies, for example, where you
can get very far with a good command of
English, it is much more difficult in the tax
sector because of the legal texts I mentioned.
Unfortunately, there have been some
applicants from abroad in the past who
ultimately failed because of the language
barrier.
On the other hand, have there also been
some positive examples?
Yes, a Ukrainian woman, who had previously
worked as an interpreter, became very
familiar with the subject matter as an office
manager and eventually completed an apprenticeship
as an assistant tax consultant.
She was even able to bring the exam forward
because of her existing qualifications.
An employee from Thailand, who moved to
Chemnitz for love, also worked really hard
to overcome the language barrier and
successfully complete her training with us.
I can only take my hat off to so much drive,
ambition and enjoyment in the work.
Are there any exceptions for trainees from
abroad, such as more time during exams?
Hardly any, sadly. A dictionary is allowed,
but there is still no extended writing time
in the exam. This is one area where I’d like
our country to move with the times a bit
more and recognise the need for international
professionals. The recognition of
training and qualifications is also an issue
in Germany. It sometimes makes it incredibly
difficult for companies to integrate
skilled workers from abroad into the local
labour market.
How does SRS Audit facilitate getting
started in the company for international
professionals?
Anyone starting their professional journey
with us can be sure that they’ll receive the
necessary support in all areas. We are
open to different religions and also take religious
traditions into account. Depending
on how far away their home country is, we
sometimes grant four weeks’ leave as a
single block so that they can spend a lot of
time with friends and family. It is important
that we always see the person first – no
matter where they come from, what the
grades are on their report card or what
qualifications they have. If they have the
right motivation, everybody can achieve
fulfilment in our company.
WEITERE INFOS:
SRS Audit GmbH
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft •
Steuerberatungsgesellschaft
chemnitz.jobs/srsaudit
Apply to:
bewerbung@srsaudit.de
Applications are welcome in German, English or Russian.
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