ACCOUNTANCY

GRADUATE PROFILES
audit assistant
Audit assistant – kpmg
NAME
LOCATION
UNIVERSITY
DEGREE
Why did you choose a job in accounting?
I graduated from the University of
Manchester with a degree in Philosophy. I
had heard about the ACA through friends but
I didn’t research it until I saw a job posting
for a role in audit. From this it was clear to
me that the ACA equips people with the best
set of skills and knowledge they need to be
successful in any career. I thought it would
be a good platform to start my career and
that it would open many different doors for
me within business. I was really attracted
to the opportunity to work while gaining a
professional qualification and meeting likeminded
people with similar ambitions.
Alex Pickering
London
Manchester
Philosophy
perform stock takes, which is generally a
more relaxed day where you can get out of
the office and go to a new place.
What skills are useful in this sector?
One needs to be able to understand and
grasp complex problems and ideas quickly.
A lot is expected of your ability from the
start and though it is always encouraged to
pause and ask questions the team is relying
on your ability to pick up new concepts
(usually accounting principles) and apply
them straight away. If you are confident
in your ability however, this is a rewarding
thing to be able to do.
The balance of learning at
work, self-study and going to
college with friends means that
the learning is varied which
helps to keep it engaging.
a big firm with similar people every day is
a new and fun experience that is so much
more than sitting at your desk.
I really enjoy the variety of the job; every
week tends to bring a new client. Travelling
around inner and outer London is fantastic
as it’s a new city to me. I’ve worked with
companies in the gold and precious metals
industry, the fashion industry and even
watch makers, so I am already experiencing
a wide range of businesses. Before I
started I thought the work would mostly
be an automated process, but having to
understand the different objectives of each
company or industry means you get to
apply the accounting knowledge differently
each time, making the job a lot more
creative than I expected. It also teaches
you much more than the financial side of
business, so by gaining the qualification you
are setting yourself up for so many more
opportunities than you would expect.
What would you like to achieve in the future?
In terms of long term aspirations, I like most
that this is a proven path for those who
want to go on to be really successful, so
the job gives you confidence in what you’re
doing every day.
What challenges have you come across
and how did you overcome these?
So far the learning curve has been my
biggest challenge. You have to soak up every
new thing you learn and you need to be able
to understand and grasp complex problems
and ideas quickly. It can be quite draining
if you don’t stay enthusiastic. The balance
of learning at work, self-study and going to
college with friends means that the learning
is varied which helps to keep it engaging. •
I wanted to work in one of the ‘Big Four’ as
I knew there I would get to work with the
best people and clients. KPMG stood out
to me because of their presence on several
communication channels – from social
media to career guides. I knew I would have
great opportunities there, from being able
to work abroad to working in other divisions
in the company.
What are your main duties?
As I am a first year, day to day I am typically
out at a client site performing audit work.
I work on a number of accounts within
the business and work with the client to
complete tasks that will form part of the
signed statutory audit. Much of the work
is analytical and requires gathering audit
evidence from the client. Every now and then
I go out to clients who hold inventories and
Is it a 9-5 job?
It doesn’t feel like a job. With the mix of
studying/attending college, client work and
the social experience from being in such
Having to understand the
different objectives of
each company or industry
means you get to apply
the accounting knowledge
differently each time, making
the job a lot more creative
than I expected.
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For graduate jobs, internships & placements visit www.insidecareers.co.uk/acc 31