Ka C.
About me
| Ka C. | |
| Economics and Related Studies | |
| Economics | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Langwith | |
| 2016 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Assurance Associate | |
| PwC | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Finance and consultancy | |
| Large business (250+ employees) |
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A day in the life of a Assurance Associate in the United Kingdom
Happy to answer any questions - no query is too small! Just get in touch.
My career goals when I graduated
To get a globally recognised company onto my CV and get experience that made me more desirable in my future career.
My career history
A few weeks of work experience at various firms during my mid-teens, nothing extensive.
Worked in the Uni of York Careers department during the summer after my second year at university.
As you can see, my career history is not particularly impressive (It doesn't have to be!).
What has helped my career to progress
Hard work when applying to jobs in final year. Take on responsibilities with extra curricular activities.
Courses taken since graduation
Studying towards the ACA qualification.
Where I hope to be in 5 years
Having completed my qualification, I would like to move around PwC to other departments or even other countries. Movement is encouraged and it would be foolish not to take advantage of it.
My advice to students considering work
Make sure you figure out what you want to do before applying - applying for jobs you eventually decide you don't want may give you important interview experiences but will waste time and energy (and sanity!).
My advice about working in my industry
Big 4 companies are well recognised and will be a significant stepping stone for your career so it is worth doing the mundane tasks sometimes but you must be resilient and prepared for bad days at the office. Saying that, there are a lot of positives to go with the job as well. Also, Big 4 companies (in Leeds at least) are not as impersonal as they say on online forums - in fact, the level of interaction with people are the best thing about the job.
Contacting me
I'll be happy to answer any questions about PwC/applications/my experiences etc...or anything that you may be curious about, I'll do my best to help. No query is too big or too small!
What I do
I am currently a Assurance Associate at PwC in Leeds
Assurance and Audit is PwC's largest department and the work involves 'testing' all parts of a client's financial statements to provide an Audit Opinion. This will include a mixture of Substantive testing and Controls testings depending on the requirements for the client.
Skills I use and how I developed them
A lot of the job revolves around Microsoft Excel skills, the ability to manage time when studying (for the ACA qualification) and working.
It has also developed my people skills as I am exposed to clients' more senior staff most of the time.
What I like most
There is a very supportive culture among the people at the firm and there is a vibrant social side to the firm as well.
What I like least
The work can be fairly mundane in your first year and there are pretty long hours during busy season but you will be learning all the time.
What surprised me most
How willing everyone is to help you and how much you learn as a result of having so much support.
Next steps...
If you like the look of Ka’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Ka a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Ka to be your mentor.