Becky. Senior Audit Associate

Becky is a twenty-three-year old Senior Audit Associate from Bury St Edmunds. She has been working in the Audit industry for a year.

*An audit is the examination of the financial report of an organisation.

How did you get into your field? What inspired you?

‘I did a weeks work experience in the industry and I loved the work I was doing and the people I was working with during my time there!’

What did you study at university and did this help you get into your field?

‘I studied Mathematics, which I believe has helped me in that it is a good degree, but it was not essential to getting into my field.’

Do you recommend any particular studies, courses or degrees for your field?

‘I think it is possible to get into audit having studied any degree, but I think having a degree in a numerical subject such as maths or accounting does help.’

What does an average day look like in your role?

‘I am either in the office planning upcoming jobs or I am out visiting client sites with a group of colleagues. An average day on site includes meeting and building relationships with the client’s finance team, learning about their industry, performing and reviewing tests on the figures that make up their financial statements and working through any issues together as a team.’

What is the best part of your role?

‘The majority of my colleagues are all young, sociable and interesting people, which makes day to day work much more enjoyable, and means there are always socials, dinners and other events taking place. Working on different audits every few weeks also means the teams you’re working in get mixed up often and so you get to know everyone really well. I love that I am able to use my maths skills and be sociable within the same role.’

What is the worst part of your role?

‘To become a fully qualified auditor you must pass a series of exams. Studying for exams while working long hours can be stressful, especially during busy season.’

How important is work/life balance to you and how much spare time do you have?

‘I would say that although my work/life balance could definitely be worse, this may not be the career for someone who is expecting every evening and weekend to be free. During busy season the hours can be quite long, and I sometimes have to study for exams in evenings or at the weekends during exam season, but there is often some flexibility in the hours which you work and other than these periods the hours are fairly standard.’

Do you have any hobbies?

‘My main hobby is running. I often go to park run events with friends and I always like having an event coming up to be training for!’

Do you have any advice for people looking to start a career in the same field?

‘I would say that there are a lot of misconceptions around working in audit, with people thinking it is not the most exciting career, but I’ve found that there is a lot more to the job than I had previously thought. There are a lot of doors that it can open, and so if you get the chance to do work experience or an internship then definitely take it so you can see if it is right for you!’

Have you ever experienced any uncertainties about your career? What did you do to overcome them?

‘When I graduated from university I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do next or which career was right for me, and so I decided to go travelling. I was slightly concerned that taking this time out would reduce my chances of getting a job in the future, but I have not found this to be the case at all. When I got back I felt much more certain about what I wanted to do and I was ready to settle down into a career.’

Who is your biggest female inspiration and why?

‘Rachel Riley is my biggest female inspiration. She challenges stereotypes and has shown the world that women are equally as good as maths, and that being a glamorous and independent woman does not also mean you can’t be a maths geek!’