Careers

Experience - helping build a team

The U.S. firms' Atlanta IT Advisory office was still relatively small when I joined. Prior experience with the "Big four" allowed me to gain experience in successfully integrating complementary Audit and Advisory services where appropriate, and this was a way forward for KPMG. I gained an appreciation and respect for the diversity of skills and backgrounds of the professionals within an entire U.S. firm and was able to play a part in bringing them together. There are five things you have to do well - people, sales, service, knowledge and culture - and work at all of them all of the time.

Culture - creating a successful one

Open, continuous communication and dialogue as well as accessibility help to create a community across our member firms' diverse practices that continue to support the development of a strong KPMG culture. From my point of view it involves continuous attention and commitment to our people and their development, while managing our firms' client service expectations. We use the performance management program, our mentoring relationships, and the Advisory University training programs to foster the culture of client-focus, integration, professional skills, and integrity.

Diversity - retaining women

Diversity is a challenge. We need to find ways to make a career path flexible alongside kids, marriage, and other life changes. I'll be realistic, there's a lot to do, a long road ahead. But we are working at it. I'm involved in internal initiatives in the U.S. such as KNOW (KPMG Network of Women) as well as external initiatives with various organizations that can help us increase awareness in the organization - professional acknowledgement of the issue is important. So too are initiatives such as mentoring programs. I also participate in women's leadership business forums as appropriate.

Advice - life balance

Well the main thing to say to young people entering KPMG is that life doesn't balance itself. It requires constant attention. Plan your vacation, take your breaks, use and develop your skills in your community, plan ahead for key events, don't miss the important things in life. If things are too much to manage, you're the only one who knows - so raise your hand and ensure people are aware so they can help and make arrangements. This is especially true if you travel a lot for the job. We don't want people to "burn out"; we want having a personal life to be possible too. This is an important part of the culture at KPMG.