How Audit has built my confidence
Alice joined our Northern Audit team in September 2020 as a Senior Associate. After completing her training at a smaller accountancy firm in Edinburgh, she made the decision to relocate and now lives and works in Newcastle.
Tell us about the start of your journey with PwC?
I trained with a small accountancy firm in Edinburgh and when my training contract came to an end, I decided that I wanted to look for new opportunities. My experience was within the charity sector and I was looking for a new challenge that gave me experience and exposure to a larger and more varied portfolio. I had never planned to move to Newcastle but because of the pandemic the market was slow in Edinburgh and Glasgow, so I decided to try something new and relocate. I was aware of PwC and knew lots of people that had or still did work here.
What is your day to day role?
I’ve started to work more on the project management side of the audit and day to day I help with audit planning and coaching the junior members of the team. My previous role had been focused on the audit detail so it’s been fantastic to see the bigger picture and be involved from planning through to execution.
I am working with the other UK offices more than I expected too as well and regularly work with people from the Belfast, Birmingham and Leeds offices. I enjoy getting to know different people across the firm and having this variety. Later in the year, my role will involve facilitating audits on-site.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
The coaching side of the role is really enjoyable, which actually came as a huge surprise to me. I like having an impact on the development of the Audit Associates and this part of my role has helped build my confidence too. I can often doubt my own ability so being on hand to help and answer any questions the associates have has reinforced that I do know what I’m doing!
How would you describe the Northern Audit team?
Down to earth, supportive and approachable. Everyone in the team is so friendly and this applies from Associate to Partner. I love being a part of this. Whilst we all work extremely hard and there can be times when work is demanding, there’s always lots of laughter too!
What’s been a highlight of your career so far?
A highlight for me has been the continuity of the audit engagements I have been allocated to. I’ve had two instances this year where both the engagement leader and manager have specifically asked for me to be on the same job next year - this has been a huge confidence boost for me. It’s also a highlight as it helps you continue to build your understanding of a client’s business and strengthen that client relationship.
What’s been a challenging moment in your career so far?
Joining PwC as an experienced hire and integrating with the team remotely was something I was initially worried about when I joined. The Newcastle office however was so welcoming and put a lot of effort into making new joiners feel at ease. I was invited to virtual drinks, coffee catch ups with different people from the Newcastle office and had daily catch ups with my buddy, which helped me settle in quickly.
If you could go back to your first day at PwC and give yourself advice, what would it be?
I would tell myself to relax. Whilst starting a new job is always nerve-wracking and you want to perform well, I would remind myself that you don’t have to know everything from day 1. Always treat your role as a learning experience and strive to learn something new everyday - even if that new thing seems small or trivial.
Do you have any passions or interests outside of the workplace?
I like to keep active and enjoy going to the gym and going swimming. Indoor bouldering is also a passion of mine and I regularly try to drag my flatmates along. As well as this, I enjoy watching football and horse racing and non-sport related activities including playing video games and reading.
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