What's your job about?

As an Accountant in Business Advisory, I’m involved in assisting with client work alongside the Managers and Partners in my team. The clients I work with are predominantly in the health care and medical sector which I enjoy as I witness my clients want to go out and help people which ultimately makes my work more rewarding. My responsibilities include reviewing client’s financial records to provide improvement advice and ensure they are always being compliant. This is essential as it ensures our clients avoid any legal penalties and prevents misconduct which overalls enhances our client’s credibility. Everyday can look slightly different depending on the client’s needs and time of year.

What's your background?

Growing up, my parents owned a business, so I was always surrounded by finances. My mum is an accountant, and I naturally gravitated towards it from a young age. I’m also really interested in numbers which made the decision to study Accounting easy. I decided to major in International Business as the idea of working overseas one day excites me. 

I pursued the role at William Buck in Business Advisory as I wanted my first accounting role to involve a large scope of work and not be specialised which a mid-tier firm offers. Business Advisory allows me to work on a range of tasks with a variety of clients which makes the role enjoyable and different daily. William Buck’s ongoing training has ensured.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

If you didn’t study Accounting but studied Business, Finance, Financial Planning or Economics you could do this role. A lot of being an Accountant is the hands on, on the job training you receive that you don’t get from theory work at uni. However, you do need the foundational theory from university to support you. It would be a larger learning curve for someone studying Arts to transition to accounting. The facilitated training sessions William Buck offer for example Tax Banter, Business Advisory Masterclasses and Graduate Technical training assists with learning. 

What's the coolest thing about your job?

My favourite part of the job is meeting clients. Firstly, it’s a great way to build a better connection but it’s also great seeing my Partners and Managers with years of experience in action. This inspires me to reach that level one day and keeps me motivated. I also really enjoy the problem-solving and analysis component of the job. Presenting our reasonings and findings to the clients and seeing them happy with the work is always an added reward. 

What are the limitations of your job?

Like in many roles, compliance work is a large element to Accounting. This can be very time consuming however we do understand it is an important and required part of the role which ensures our clients avoid legal penalties and misconduct. There are busy periods in accounting which occur during lodgement periods especially before 30 June. However, it’s comforting to know you’re not alone and your team is there to support you. 

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

• If there is an opportunity for you to complete an internship before graduating, do it! This will give you insight into the role and industry before you start. It can also be a deciding factor for whether you proceed down that career path. 
• Ask lots of questions! You will learn so much from those around you if you ask questions. If you never ask, you’ll never know. 
• Take your time before jumping into full-time work. If you don’t feel ready for full-time work and want to take some time to travel beforehand, do it. There’s no need to rush into full-time work.