Jade
Office: London
University: University of Westminster
Degree: BA (Hons) Business Management
Describe a typical day at UHY Hacker Young:
The good thing about working in this industry and within a firm such as UHY in particular is that each day will be different. I am currently working in the Business Advisory Services department in which I have the opportunity to work in audit as well as accounting. This means that I have been able to obtain experience in a variety of sectors and have learned a variety of skills. This is one of my favourite parts of the job as it keeps the job interesting as well as providing a solid grounding of varied experience for my future career.
What made you choose UHY Hacker Young?
What initially attracted me to working at UHY was the diversity of sectors that the firm operates in as well as the size of the firm. I believe it is important to feel comfortable at your workplace and to gel socially as well as professionally with your colleagues. With UHY Hacker Young being a medium sized firm, this enables you to get to know your colleagues and managers which I believe creates a more pleasant and productive environment to work in.
During the interviewing process I had the opportunity to meet and talk with existing employees as well as managers and individuals from other departments. This insight into the type of culture adopted by UHY Hacker Young made it clear that there was a relaxed yet professional environment and I have found that all the people at UHY, from my fellow students through to managers and partners, have been very supportive and friendly throughout the time I have spent with this firm so far.
Another reason why I chose UHY is because of the level of support provided throughout my studies and work life in general, there is always someone to help you with any queries you might have and I have found it particularly useful to speak to more advanced colleagues regarding the exams and how to organise my ACCA tasks in general.
Do you tend to work late into the evenings or a lot of weekends?
There are of course, as with any job, times when you are required to stay later at work for certain responsibilities and tasks to be completed. You will also need to put a significant amount of hours of studying in around examination time. However the work that you put in is well worth the achievement and success that you will accomplish in the end. It is important to learn to manage your time effectively and motivate yourself to knuckle down when you need to. The firm as a whole provides plenty of support and the courses and study materials provided are very efficient in helping you to achieve the best results you can.
What makes a good auditor/accountant?
From my experience of working at UHY Hacker Young I have found that a very important skill to have for both auditing and when preparing accounts is to have a keen eye for detail for when you are looking at a company’s accounts. I would also say that possessing strong interpersonal skills is very useful, as you will be visiting a variety of different clients and will be dealing with people on all levels of the organisation during your audit work, both in and out of the office. You should also be conscientious, hard working and have the ability to work capably in a team, particularly in audit jobs, as this is crucial in getting the job done efficiently and on time.
