Careers

What do you like about working in the Audit practice?

Associate

I think it's a great learning experience, especially out of college. You get to see the operations of the company from start to finish, which is a great learning experience.

Sr. Associate #1

You have many opportunities to see different clients and different industries and really see how a client in an industry works. If you decide you want to further specialize you can use your experience of the first few years to decide where exactly you want to take your future. During your first year usually there is a rotation and you are exposed to multiple clients.

Sr. Associate #2

I enjoy working in Audit because I like the challenge, knowing that I'm coming in and able to dig my hands into something and in the end I solve a problem. The fact that I'm coming in and working with different people is giving me that exposure to understand, and not only that, just to enhance my technical skills.

Sr. Associate #3

No two work days will be the same. You are constantly doing different things and that is why it is so challenging to work in audit.

Sr. Associate #1

The biggest challenge is probably the most fun because you are usually seeing something new all the time. It's a little nerve wracking because it's new but at the same time it's exciting because you are learning something new. You're not doing the same thing every day. So the challenge is actually the fun part. It's sort the nature of the profession that certain times will be very busy, certain times won't be as busy. I think it's up to the engagement teams to communicate and know when you are going to be busy, know when you are not going to be busy, and the season when you are busy have a plan. So that way you have flexibility. I think communication is key in not getting too stressed and too caught up in busy season.

Sr. Associate #3

In audit we work long hours but our schedule is still very flexible. We don't work nine to five. If we need to leave early or come in a little bit later, it's doable. We just need to communicate that with our manager.

What types of skills do you think you develop in Audit?

Sr. Associate #3

Accounting skills, industry knowledge, we also acquire very important soft skills such as time management skills, how to prioritize. I believe those are the kinds of skills that will be very important and very beneficial in the future no matter what kind of career we choose.

Sr. Associate #2

My growth is tremendous. Coming into the firm, I came with leadership skills. I was able to build on my leadership skills that I already have. Our technical skills are being improved. We are not just doing the same thing over and over. We are going in different areas. We are seeing different companies. We are seeing different technical auditing skills, accounting standards.

Sr. Associate #3

As an audit senior we get a chance to work with some very experienced professionals in this I think industry. Within our firm or with the client, we get to interact with these high-level people a lot That is a very good thing for us to have.

Associate

I remember when I first started I was asked to go talk to a client. I was so nervous. As you go along, you do get used to it. It definitely builds your communications skills.

What types of experiences have you had in Audit?

Sr. Associate #1

The exposure is incredible in the sense that there are so many different clients. Within audit and even outside of audit there are other opportunities.

Sr. Associate #3

I can't say enough good things about the people that I worked during the last four years. These people are all very intelligent, hard-working people.

Associate

I have worked in banking and IMF. One industry that I haven't experienced that I would still like to is real estate. So that is something that I have been in and will communicate to my manager and hopefully be able to experience.

Sr. Associate #2

I could tell you all I know about hedge funds. I didn't know hedge funds before but the fact that I came into this company and my first year I did banking I moved into the investment in companies group.

Sr. Associate #1

I've worked in entertainment. I've seen a little of advertising. I've seen non-profit, healthcare. I've seen some consumer products, and it was all in my first two years where I saw all of these things. Right now I'm focusing on entertainment and I would like to see more, maybe another CIM client, maybe a consumer product, because I like product clients, I like service clients.

Sr. Associate #3

At KPMG you are able to work with the most well known, the biggest companies in the world. Basically you are learning advanced industry practices. I think a lot of people would like to see that, to see how the best companies in this world run.

Have you encountered any challenges?

Sr. Associate #1

Sometimes when new regulations come out, first, you try to see if it affects your client and then you try to see how it affects your client, and then you read this huge long document and try to see what it actually really means and what you are supposed to do. That is a challenge in itself but at the same time you have to recognize that this profession is evolving and you need to keep learning and read the regulations that come out and understand them.

Sr. Associate #3

I think at first I found all these FASB statements and other accounting pronouncements very overwhelming because they are just very difficult to understand. But over the years little by little you find yourself able to understand much more. This is how we grow our knowledge, how we grow ourselves.

Sr. Associate #1

There is definitely pressure to just understand and get it right because the decisions that you make and the work that you perform, it's the real world now; it's not college where if you do it wrong you just get a bad grade. It will impact a company and could in effect impact many other people. So there is pressure but at the same time this is our profession and you have to embrace it and understand it and just go with it.

Sr. Associate #2

You are not by yourself. You have guidance from all these knowledgeable people. Along the way you are working to figure it out but at the same time you have that support system.

What would you tell someone who is interested in working at KPMG?

Associate

KPMG does try hard to make you happy and they know the busy season is challenging but they try to work with you to make it not as difficult.

Sr. Associate #1

You learn so much, and it's hard to describe what you learn but after you finish an engagement or a year when you come back, everything clicks and you are not exactly sure why or how it happened, but you realize that you understand all these things. This is really valuable and this is a great start for my career.

Sr. Associate #2

I would say for anyone coming in, don't just come in to work. Try to participate in different activities. Try to attend different events. Try to network with people, because it's okay to come in and do the work but getting involved, it gives you a feeling of belonging.

Sr. Associate #1

I would say to anyone joining or even within the firm, if you want to do something or you want to change something or have more, definitely speak up. If you want a different client or a different division, or even if you want little rotations, if you want to help out in HR or if you want to just see a different sort of client, if you want something where you travel more or if you want something more close to home, definitely talk to somebody. Talk to your performance manager, talk to the managers that you work with, talk to someone, really, because it's your career. Because KPMG will look out after you but they won't be able to read your mind.

Sr. Associate #2

You have to speak up. You are guiding your career, so if you don't speak up you will never get what you want. I think KPMG is a great place to work. If I could choose three words, I would say your knowledge increased, the people you meet, and at the same time you are having fun.