‘Developments in the field of sustainability are moving fast. Being part of that, helping clients get ready and making an impact, is something we are truly passionate about’, Sanne Prins, Staff Audit, and Endri Olsen, Junior Manager Audit Advisory at Deloitte, say. They both joined the Sustainability team, a brand new Deloitte team that focusses on accelerating sustainability knowledge within Audit & Assurance. ‘Sustainable businesses are the future.’ ‘Taking the bike to the office, using my own water bottle instead of paper cups, choosing reusable make-up remover pads. In my day to day life I try to live as ‘clean’ as possible’, Sanne (24) explains. ‘Being part of the Sustainability team gives me the opportunity to dive deeper into the topic. I want to help clients, give advice and make colleagues aware.’ Endri (28): ‘Sustainability gets me excited because it is the future of living. By helping clients get ready to be compliant with the sustainability rules of 2023, we can make an impact to the client but also indirectly to their environment. In addition to this, becoming a specialist in sustainability is also interesting from a career development perspective. Your skills will definitely be in high demand, which is valuable to Deloitte and to yourself.’ Like sunshine Endri already signed up with Deloitte South Africa when she was 18 years old. ‘I was driven to study accounting and finance and work at a Big Four company. When I walked into the Deloitte office, it felt completely different than other accounting firms I visited. The environment was light and warm, like sunshine. That ambience made me choose Deloitte’, Endri says with a smile. ‘Throughout my studies Deloitte supported me and gave me so many opportunities. There were lots of networking events, I actually met my current partner at one of these events. After I got my qualification, I went to work at the Boston office in the USA for three months, fully facilitated by Deloitte. I was looked after very well, so I definitely did not want to leave Deloitte. When my partner and I were considering moving to Europe, it made sense for us to work at Deloitte the Netherlands. Again, a great choice. It is truly a family environment.’ ‘At Deloitte you can be who you are, and you can choose the path you want’ So much in common Sanne also started working at Deloitte at a young age. ‘Five years ago, I was looking for an internship. Deloitte felt good to me, just like Endri says. I stayed as a working student, did another internship, and finally started working at Audit. At that moment I also started my (pre)master accountancy at Nyenrode University. I can say that some of my colleagues are also my friends. We have many things in common, like education, age, interests, and the same lifestyle. Outside of work, we regularly meet each other. Everybody is open to help each other out and to connect. It is just a very friendly and at the same time highly professional working environment. I just finished my master thesis of which one of the topics was the ESG score, that measures the environmental, social, and governance performance of a company. It certainly stimulated my interest in sustainability further.’ Interesting issues Endri has been working at Audit Advisory for over two years now. ‘I have been involved in all types of projects my division generally does. I am currently helping a client prepare for an IPO, which includes assistance with the preparation of audited financial statements, getting legal and corporate governance in place and parts of the ESG reporting, which I think is really cool. The future of shopping is online and by being involved in developing their ESG reporting, we can guide the client to do it in a more sustainable way. My work offers interesting issues, interesting business models and interesting business operations. One of the things I always enjoy, is getting to really know the client personnel and working with different Deloitte colleagues on each engagement. The clients learn from us, but we also learn from them and each other.’ Professional kitchen ‘Every client is different’, Sanne says. ‘A hotel, companies in retail, real estate or cosmetics. They all differ. Getting insight into their professional operations is always interesting. Especially when it involves the social side of ESG reporting. How are companies dealing with people, both their employees in the Netherlands and the countries in which the products are produced? Are women rewarded in the same way as men? How many women does the board of a company consist of? I am interested in the company values and hope to bring the right awareness.’ The right add-ons Most Big Four companies offer the same sort of packages, according to Endri. ‘But what Deloitte does really well, is offering the right add-ons. We are taken care of. There is a support structure for women, working from home is very well facilitated, and for expats Deloitte even developed a policy during Covid to work from your home country for a few weeks, just so you can see your family.’ Sanne: ‘Deloitte is a really good employer, that takes people and culture seriously. You can be who you are, and you can choose the path you want. It’s up to you which opportunities you decide to take.’
Study Tour 2024: Cape Town & Dubai
Capte Town It all started this year on Monday, April 29, we gathered at Tilburg central station, where the bus picked us up around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. With 24 people we were complete and ready to go. The bus took us to Brussels Airport where the journey could really begin. In the evening at 21:45 the plane left for Cape Town! After a long trip, with a change of plane in Dubai, we finally arrived in Cape Town. On the way to the hostel, we could already admire the city in its beautiful evening glory. Once we arrived at the hostel, we checked in and had something to eat. After that, most of us wanted to go to bed right away, as the trip was very tiring after all. Our first full day in Cape Town began in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront district. Here we had a morning of free time to explore the area, some visited the aquarium, and others went shopping. In the afternoon we wanted to go hiking on Table Mountain, unfortunately there was a fire near the route of the hike, so we had to come up with another plan. We decided to hike up Lion’s Head. This hike was tough but once at the top we had a beautiful view! On Thursday in Cape Town, we spent our day at the University of Cape Town. We were warmly welcomed and after an opening talk, we were also given some information about what studying at University of Cape Town is like. Next, we were given a tour of the entire campus, with its many beautiful buildings and large sports fields, not to mention the beautiful views. After the tour we had a delicious lunch and went back to school. Here several more speakers came by with interesting stories. In the evening there was plenty to do in the city because it was First Thursday; so there is a party in the city every first Thursday of the month. This was a great reason for us to explore the evening life in Cape Town! Friday morning, we started our day with a tour to Robben Island. After a nice boat ride, we were given a bus tour of the island. Our guide here shared many stories with us. Once we were back on the mainland, we had something to eat and went on to the Bo-Kaap district. This neighborhood is known for its beautifully colored houses. After shooting many pictures, we went back to the hostel to freshen up. In the evening, most of the group went to eat at a typical African restaurant called “Mama Africa”. Over the weekend we went on a wine tour, this of course cannot be missed when you are in Cape Town. We also went along the Cape of Good Hope, and visited Boulders Beach where we could see penguins. Of course, the nightlife was also explored further this weekend. Unique opportunity After a great weekend, we went to KPMG Cape Town on Monday morning. Here we had a tour of the office followed by a fun, interesting presentation about the economy in South Africa, as well as “fun facts” and “snack history” of South African culture. After this instructive morning, we had some free time in the afternoon, some went up Table Mountain, one by cable car and the other on foot, unfortunately it was very cloudy when we reached the top. We ended the evening with a delicious dinner. Our Tuesday morning began quietly with some free time. We scored some souvenirs and had a nice lunch. In the afternoon we visited the consulate. Here we had an interesting afternoon where we could ask many questions. In the evening, we all had a last dinner in Cape Town at a delicious tapas restaurant. Our last morning in Cape Town began quite spectacularly for some. Part of the group went skydiving, because how often do you get this opportunity? The same morning, we also visited the Diamond Shop, where we got a tour and could ask all our questions for the research. In the afternoon it was really time to leave Cape Town and we flew to Dubai around 18:00. Dubai Thursday in the early morning we arrived in Dubai, once we arrived at the hotel it was still way too early to check in, so we all went to rest at the pool on the top floor of the hotel. Just recovering after such a restless night. From 2 p.m. we could check in, and the rest of the afternoon everyone did their own thing. In the evening, we divided into smaller groups for dinner and then went to bed in time for a good night’s sleep. Friday morning began with a trip to Mars, a hearty company in the FMCG industry. Once we arrived at Mars, we were welcomed with a delicious breakfast buffet. After this, in addition to a presentation from the company itself, we also received presentations from partners including ING and Dubai Holding. It was certainly an interesting and educational morning. In the afternoon everyone had free time again, a few went out to see some more highlights of the city, but most of the group ended up at the beach, where we were also able to admire the sunset. All in all, it was another successful day. The weekend in Dubai arrived. On Saturday we had planned a visit to the Burj Khalifa, we went all the way to the 125th floor and were able to see a beautiful view here. We also took this day to visit the Dubai Mall and all the craziness that can be experienced here, including a large aquarium. Of course, we also had a chance to admire the fountain show, which takes place right next to the Mall. After an afternoon of walking and shopping, we went back to eating scattered throughout the city. Some of us ate at restaurants around and in the
Realize your ambitions under optimal conditions – Working at Bol
“When we met at the career event I thought: yes, yes, that will do. But it really is the following,” says Jasmijn Giesen (22). “Here they do everything to create the right preconditions for you.” Marijne Jurjus (23) couldn’t agree more. “Definitely! As a starter, I experience all the space I need to discover and learn. A lot is asked of you and a lot is possible.” Even part-time work or parenthood does not stand in the way of a career. Alice van Helden (32): “Good work-life flexibility allows you to shape your career path at Bol Advisors according to your own ambitions.” We sat down with three female employees in Bol Advisers’ audit department to hear what it’s like to work at Bol. Jasmijn has just been employed for six months as a junior assistant auditor. She studied business administration at the RU in Nijmegen, with a master’s degree in Economics (specialization Accounting and Control). Marijne has been working there since September 2023, also as a junior assistant accountant, and after studying Economics, she followed the same master’s degree as Jasmijn. Alice has been in the profession for eight years and is an audit manager. She has also chosen HR duties in her department and developed the buddy program. Different than a Big4 Alice: “I have been working at Bol for four years now, but started at a national office eight years ago. This experience was very valuable, even though the work-life balance there was not always optimal. As a starter, the gap between the theoretical knowledge gained and daily practice was large, so I was mostly navigating instead of really learning. At Bol, I experience a completely different approach. Here, direct communication is encouraged and there is room for asking questions. The work environment is open and collaborative, which has a positive impact on your professional development.” Being able to discover what suits you Jasmijn: “When you’ve just finished your studies, it’s hard to decide what you want. What I like here is that it’s okay that I don’t know everything yet. In fact, they facilitate my search. During the orientation at the career events, I got the feeling that many other companies expect you to already have a plan. At Bol, they work with you to find that plan.” Based on interests and talents, employees are helped to find the right path for themselves. Bol uses various means for this, including a traineeship. Marijne: “As a trainee you can look around in other departments. I work in the assurance department, but as a trainee I also visit the international practice and business controlling. This way I can discover what I find interesting and what suits me best.” “The work environment is open and collaborative, which has a positive impact on your professional development.” Learning from and with each other There is also a boot camp program, in which Jasmijn and Marijne participate. With ten starters, they meet monthly for training sessions. Sometimes person-oriented, sometimes profession-oriented. Marijne: “At the beginning we made the DISC personality analysis. We now know each other’s pitfalls and can help each other with them. Another meeting was about work pressure and time management. Helpful and fun.” They learn from and with each other. Even the term Bol family is mentioned. Alice: “We consciously choose to organize the programs department-wide, so afterwards the threshold is lower to approach each other professionally. Knowing each other leads to better and more efficient cooperation, across the various Bol branches.” Overall, Jasmijn is struck by how driven everyone is. “Colleagues dedicate themselves 100% to customers and the bar is high. That appeals to me enormously.” A personal buddy In the audit department, they also work with a buddy program. Alice: “This means that all (junior) assistants are paired with an audit leader or audit manager, who receives thorough buddy training in return. A buddy provides professional guidance and personal attention. You can choose your own buddy.” Marijne is enthusiastic about this system. “You get valuable feedback and/or professional tips. To give an example: as early as last December, my buddy warned me about the first quarter of this year. That’s also called the busy season; a busy time that can be experienced as intense as a newcomer, especially if you don’t know everything yet. But because of the tips my buddy gave me then, I didn’t experience the first months of 2024 as boring at all. In addition, my buddy is also a kind of confidant. I can discuss everything.” Shaping your own career path Bol encourages professional development and performance, but also has an eye for ‘people’. Alice: “Although accountancy is still predominantly a ‘man’s world’, I do see a growing group of women going for a career in Accountancy. Especially for mothers this can be challenging and sometimes requires a different work-life flexibility. At Bol, we look for the right conditions to combine this.” To move up, you don’t necessarily have to work full-time. You also have career opportunities at Bol on a part-time basis. And more and more men are working part-time as well. Jasmijn: “Choosing part-time does not mean that you are not ambitious. You still have the same goal, but just choose a different path.” What matters is that employees take their own responsibility within the agreed number of hours they work. Marijne: “That also means I can go home earlier on Wednesdays because of my sports course. At least, if work allows it. Friends in a similar position told me that this is not common.” Creating your own space Bol also wants to keep work interesting for non-starters. In the audit practice, they have created “free space” for that purpose. Alice: “For 80% of the time you do your ‘normal’ work. For the other 20% you can take on a different role that allows you to develop yourself in other areas. I chose HR, but that could also be data analysis, or helping to shape developments in the field of sustainability.
Working at EY – Thijs Kerstens
Thijs Kerstens | Staff Audit & Consultant Climate Change and Sustainability Services Thijs Kerstens has been working at EY as Staff since September 2023, having previously completed an internship at the Audit department in Eindhoven. At EY, we offer you a flexible career with many opportunities for advancement. This provides the opportunity to seize new opportunities. Thijs has arranged his personal development through a dual package with both Audit and also Sustainability. Who are you and how did you end up at EY? I’m Thijs Kerstens, 24 years old and born in Rucphen, a village between Roosendaal and Breda. After high school in Roosendaal, I started studying Business Economics in Tilburg in 2018. After this, I did a master’s degree in Accountancy and a master’s degree in Strategic Management, still at Tilburg University, which I enjoyed. During my studies, I was active in Asset A&F and attended many accountancy events this way, where I ended up being most enthusiastic about EY. Then, in 2022, I did an internship in the Audit department of EY in Eindhoven. Why did you choose to do an internship during your studies? During my studies at university, mainly during the Bachelor of Business Economics, I noticed that in my opinion we did not get much of what possible work would look like later in practice. This was the main reason why I wanted to learn more about what work was like in practice during my Masters in Accountancy. During my time as an active member at Asset A&F, I attended several formal (and also many informal, but that is another story) accountancy activities and here I had several positive experiences with EY. So from these experiences, I can recommend all students to attend activities of study associations and if possible to organize similar activities yourself. I am convinced that you can gain a lot from these kinds of experiences later on, but I would especially like to mention that I experienced these as very nice extracurricular activities. Finally, because of the positive experiences, I decided to do an internship at EY, where I was able to combine writing my thesis with shadowing and working in the field. What motivated you to apply to EY next? Ultimately it was mainly because I liked the internship I had done, I liked the people I was able to work with at the time and I also liked the work. Eventually, after finishing my master accountancy, I still doubted whether I was ready to start working, especially since there had been the Corona period in between and I wanted to do something else before starting my full ”working” life. At the time I discussed this with several fellow interns, with the recruiter from EY and with friends, after which I eventually chose to start a second master’s degree in Strategic Management. Here I came into contact with several consulting companies, which was mainly due to the track (Consultancy) I had chosen. However, I always compared the companies with my internship at EY in Eindhoven and, this combined with the contact I had always kept with several interns and colleagues within EY, made me want to come back here at the end of this master. After an extended period of contact with Lisanne van Ree (the predecessor of Madelief Berendsen, campus recruiter of EY Eindhoven/Limburg) I was eager to return to the place that had pleased me very well during the internship. You chose a dual package with both Audit and CCASS. Why did you choose this? I noticed during my internship in the Audit department that I enjoyed the work, but also that I wanted to see more things. So this was one of the reasons I chose my second master’s at the time. Eventually, during my studies, I found out that there was a lot of legislation related to sustainability coming up (think of the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, CSRD), which I was very interested in. So I ended up writing my master accountancy thesis, for which I did a thesis internship at EY on this topic. During my internship I also got in touch with several colleagues who worked in the sustainability department, which I found very interesting and after which I noticed that I became interested in both audit and sustainability. This eventually made me want to combine them. At the same time, during my internship I also found out that I wanted to use my background in accountancy, and would like to develop further to become a chartered accountant, which is why I am still following the postmaster at Tilburg University. EY was open to this and that made it possible for me and allowed me to pursue this combination. “My interest in sustainability and the legislation surrounding it, combined with the diversity and challenges in accountancy, led to the unique opportunity to combine these two fields” What does a workday look like for you at EY and what are the aspects of your job that you enjoy the most? This is a fun question for me, but very difficult to answer. My first six months are now behind me (I started on September 1, 2023) and I don’t think any week has been the same for me, let alone an average workday. Generally, I have college on Fridays for the postmaster, but this has been on hold for the past 3 months (from January through March you are free from the postmaster because during this period many companies prepare financial statements and therefore there is a lot of work for accountants), so I’ve been able to focus a lot on work for the past few months. I enjoyed being able to focus on work the past few months, but I am also looking forward to the start of the postmaster again, which means that as of April 5 I can be found on the Tilburg University Campus on Fridays. Furthermore, I like that at EY the days are different and
Working at PwC – Sam Dijkshoorn
Meet Sam. A connector, accountant, innovator, DJ and solver at PwC Netherlands. Can you tell us a little about yourself? ‘I’m Sam Dijkshoorn and I’ve been working in assurance at PwC for 4 years now. Together with my colleagues, I am responsible for auditing the financial statements of various clients. I am also part of the Social Board and the recruitment team. Recently, I became a Digital Accelerator. In this role, I think about how we can use digital tools to improve the processes surrounding the audit. In my spare time, I volunteer at football club AZ and occasionally play as a DJ in clubs or at festivals. I can also often be found on the tennis court. “I like working at a young organization. Every assignment has a different team composition. In addition, there are many social activities organized.” How did you end up at PwC and what exactly do you do? “During my bachelor in Economics & Business Administration, I participated in a PwC recruitment event. Here I got to know PwC in an informal way and talked to employees. After this event, I had the opportunity to write both my undergraduate and graduate thesis at PwC. I believe this is one of the best ways to get to know the company well. Because my internship period was very positive and I immediately felt at home at PwC, I started the entry-level program at our assurance branch immediately after my internship: One Assurance Academy. “I get to deal with many different clients and topics. This allows me to grow quickly and develop in various areas.” What is your (study) background? “I completed the bachelor’s degree in Economics & Business Administration at the University of Amsterdam and also obtained my master’s degree here. What does your workday look like? ‘A typical workday at PwC doesn’t exist. Every day is different: on Monday I work from home, Tuesday and Wednesday I’m at a different location with clients, Thursday I work in the office and Friday is my part-time day. In addition, I get to change clients every few weeks, which makes the work very varied. I work in different environments, with various clients and colleagues. During my work, I conduct interviews with clients, discuss with my teams, coach colleagues and audit various items in the financial statements, among other things.’ What makes your job fun? ‘I get to deal with many different clients and topics. This allows me to grow quickly and develop in various areas. Moreover, there are numerous opportunities within PwC. People listen to what you like and where your interests are. The fact that I became a Digital Accelerator last year is another example of this. In addition, my work at PwC is very flexible, which gives me enough time to do things I like to do besides work. I like working for a young organization. Every assignment has a different team composition. In addition, many social activities are organized: such as the gala, winter sports and regular get-togethers. This allows me to get to know many different colleagues. A number of colleagues have now become good friends!’ Tell us something about the culture at PwC ‘The culture at PwC suits me very well. I feel at home when I’m in the office because the atmosphere is informal and the organization is not very hierarchical. From associate to partner: everyone is open to help you or just having a chat. In addition, there are no fixed workstations. Because of this, you sit with different colleagues every day and get to know many new people. I usually sit with my own team, but I also regularly meet up at the office with friendly colleagues. “In addition, my job at PwC is very flexible, this gives me enough time to spend on things I like to do besides work.” What else is on your bucket list? “My bucket list includes obtaining my chartered accountant (RA) degree. I have now completed the theoretical part of my training as a chartered accountant and have started the final year of my practical training. I am also very much looking forward to the Audit Course. This is an annual event where MSc Accountancy students get the chance to learn about accountancy by going on a trip together to a changing destination. This year I get to come along as an attendant. If you’re interested in accountancy at PwC, this is highly recommended. What project makes you proud? ‘In addition to my work as an accountant, I am also part of the Social Board. The Social Board organizes social activities for our accountancy colleagues to contribute to the connectedness within the department. I am proud that our team has organized many social get-togethers and a number of sporting activities over the past year. For example, we held a padel tournament.’ What do you think of the work-life balance at PwC? ‘The flexibility at PwC is great. I’m fairly free to organize my own workday, as long as it’s discussed with my teams. Sometimes I work from home, other times I work in the office or on location at the client. In the morning I regularly play tennis with my sister for an hour and then I make up the hours missed in the evening. As a result, I have a good work-life balance. Because I have a busy social, sports and musical life in addition to my work, I work 36 hours a week. This gives me the space to go to AZ on Thursday night and spend some extra time on Friday to prepare my DJ set.’ What would you like to say to your future colleagues? ‘Do you want to discover whether PwC suits you too? Write your thesis at PwC and check out our careers page for events and opportunities. Hope to see you there!
Working at – Wesselman
Who are you and what is your background? “I’m Aniek de Bekker (22 years old) and – if you’re looking for me – I can be found on the hockey field or the padel court. At the latter you can also find me with my colleagues by the way,” she says with a laugh. “When I’m not playing sports, I focus on my Business Economics studies at Tilburg University or my work as an Assistant Accountant at Wesselman.” You’ve been working here for several years; how did you end up here? “In year three of the Bachelor of Business Economics, I was presented with a choice: go abroad for six months, take a minor or do an internship within the field. I wanted to apply the theory I learned at school in practice and decided to opt for the internship. Tilburg University organized an internship market. There were mainly employees of accounting firms; from small to (medium) large. I was curious about the industry and talked to people from different organizations, including Maartje (HR advisor) from Wesselman. She showed a lot of interest,” says Aniek. “That felt really good. A while later she called to inquire if I was interested in an internship. That’s how we finally got into a conversation.” Nice! What was it like getting acquainted with the organization this way? “Very nice. All interns are assigned a coach. The first period was sometimes exciting because Accountancy was new to me. BUT the guidance was very good and I could go to anyone with questions. In the end, they offered me a job as a working student or Assistant Accountant. A very good opportunity! The work-study position was more compatible with my schedule at the time. When I later decided to complete my studies part-time, I was still able to move up to Assistant Accountant. Basically, I assist the team, but of course I also take on tasks myself. If I need help, I can contact supervisors or other colleagues. I perform audits, but I also get to attend client meetings. It’s very interesting to get to know so many different companies.” Does it combine well with your studies? “In the first semester for sure! The contact hours for my studies were minimal. I had a subject in which I only had to go to school for once a week and wrote my thesis mainly in my own time. That was quite compatible! Currently, I have three more courses to complete. How the workload is going to be remains to be seen. Sometimes I have to finish some things in the evening for my studies, but that’s part of it. Despite that, I really enjoy being able to gain practical experience. It is very valuable that I get to make so many steps and learn new things,” Aniek says proudly. “I would recommend it to everyone to gain experience within the work field in this way! Next year I want to take a gap year. Time to think about the future.” What’s so great about working at Wesselman? “The click with Wesselman was there right away! It’s very cozy with colleagues; we regularly go out for drinks after work or play a game of padel together! Everyone is interested in each other and helps where necessary. That makes the atmosphere very pleasant.” Would you – like Aniek – like to work at Wesselman? Curious if you too have a click with Wesselman? We would like to discover it over a cup of coffee – or tea 
Interested? Then contact milou.kutscha@wesselman-info.nl.