Shannon began her journey with Deloitte by participating in a placement year which led to entry into the graduate programme. She is now a permanent member of Deloitte's Audit and Assurance team. We spoke to Shannon to gain insight into Deloitte's culture and what you could expect from a role in audit.
What advice would you give a student considering audit?
I am a big advocate of the placement year, summer vacation and other schemes. Audit isn’t for everyone, and I think it’s invaluable to get that taster before you start. Plus the onboarding process seems easier. In the case of the placement year, I just had to do the final interview to get onto the graduate programme.
Going into my final year of university already with a graduate job was the best feeling. I could focus on my studies and enjoying my last year, while everyone around me had the added pressure of finding and applying for jobs.
It also meant I didn’t find the transition from university too challenging, as I already knew what it was like to get up early and manage my work life balance. You have a few friendly faces you recognise too, so starting as a graduate isn’t as daunting.
What new skills have you picked up so far? Or improved on?
I have developed my confidence and ability to talk to people. This is something I’ve been able to use in my daily life, as well as at work.
What do you do? And what’s the most exciting thing about it?
I make sure an organisation’s financial statements faithfully represent its economic position. But it’s more than that; I get to talk to so many people and learn about different industries. Before working as an auditor, I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of an audit. What I do may seem trivial, but it’s actually one part of a very big and important opinion that will be relied upon by many, many people.
There are so many opportunities. Not just the progression to manager and senior manager, but also within the firm. You can second to different departments, such as tax and corporate services, and abroad too. This is definitely something I’d like to take advantage of after I become ACA qualified.
I love that my job is different every day. Granted, I audit day-in, day-out, but the companies are different, the people and places are different. Because of this the way I audit, and the issues I face, differ from client to client. I feel like I’m learning every day.
How do you find the work-life balance?
Occasionally, I work from home. I find that managers are happy to let you work in an agile way. I’m a morning person, so would prefer to start earlier rather than stay later. If you communicate this to managers, they’re willing to accommodate your style of working.
Keen to follow in Shannon's footsteps? Apply for a role with Deloitte here!