Who am I? My name is Dietske Bastiaensen, I am 22 years old and was born in Zundert. After graduating from VWO, I started my bachelor in Business- and Consumer sciences at the University of Wageningen. During my studies I became interested in the way companies handle their finances. Therefore, when I was finishing my bachelor’s degree, I started with the premaster Accountancy. I graduated from both educations over the past half year. Since the amount of course work over the past year was limited, I had time for some extracurricular activities next to my studies. Therefore, I began searching for a side-job in accountancy to obtain practical experience in addition to my studies. Hence, I started about 7 months ago with an internship at Witlox VCS in the position of Assistant Accountant within the audit. Since then, I have been working at Witlox VCS for about 4 days a week. In September I will start my masters education in Accounting, in which I will do the ‘’Professional (RA/RC) route’’. This program concerns a full-time degree of one year, which I will combine with my position at Witlox VCS. Thanks to Witlox VCS, I will thus have the opportunity to put the theory from the lectures directly into practice by combining studying with working. Furthermore, in coordination with my supervisor there is a certain amount of flexibility to spend more time at Witlox VCS when my study allows it, and work less when I am preparing for my exams. What do I do at Witlox VCS and what does the team and organization look like? Witlox VCS is located in Breda and targets SMEs. I am currently working as an assistant in the Audit team. The team consists of assistants and accountants and our main task is to carry out control activities for the larger clients of Witlox VCS. Often, I work at the office of the client, which allows me to view various companies from within. We work on each assignment for about two to three weeks in teams that consist of three persons. As a result, I am involved in several parts of the control process and observe a large part of the activities that take place within the organization. Witlox VCS offers a total package to its clients, which means that you collaborate with other departments as well. For example, the wage department of Witlox VCS looks after the salary administration and payments for some clients. In addition, Witlox takes care of financial questions within the corporate finance department, provides fiscal advice and performs calculations in the fiscal department. All this information is valuable input for my role and used to perform my tasks properly. The team consists mostly out of Register Accountants (RAs) and students that are doing the RA route (e.g. at the Neyenrode Business University or at the University of Tilburg). Because the team consists of multiple students and experienced Register Accountants, the working environment is productive and enjoyable. Recently we went with the assistant-accountants to a craft beer night, which allowed us to get to know each other in a different setting. “The employee day demonstrated that Witlox VCS is looking for development, not only on a corporate level, but also on a personal level.” Next to the work there are more activities, either with the team or the entire office. For instance, the yearly team trip took us to a golf course, where we received a golf training and were able to play some holes. The day was concluded with a delicious Italian meal and lots of laughter. Furthermore, two weeks ago I attended my first employee day. During the day, two courses were offered. The first course was about your personal ambition and intrinsic motivation. The second course expanded on this topic, by tying the personal ambitions within the office together in a collective ambition. Following these courses we had dinner and competed against each other in a pubquiz. This way, the entertainment was coupled to the educational part, which allowed the office to grow closer together by getting to know each other better. The employee day demonstrated that Witlox VCS is looking for development, not only on a corporate level, but also on a personal level. Furthermore, personal development as well as receiving and giving feedback is one of the central themes within the training programs of Witlox VCS. My experience at Witlox so far What I enjoy most from working at Witlox VCS is that it is an accounting office of medium size, with approximately 120 employees. In my experience it meant I was taken seriously from the start, which is also exemplified by the opportunity to work on control activities. In addition, you are involved in many affairs and obtain a good overview of what is happening in the company. It allows for an informal working environment and efficient communication channels between various teams. As a result, I felt immediately at home at Witlox VCS. Tips for students of Tilburg University It is important to look for something you will actually like and are interested in. To discover this, having access to as much information as possible is useful. You can gather this information by talking to people about their experiences. You can always send me a message via Linkedin or talk to me at the university if you have questions. Do you think working at Witlox VCS is something for you and do you want to receive more information? Have a look at our website (https://www.witloxvcs.nl/) or contact Loes Vinkenborg.
Working at PwC
My name is Jordi de Oude, I am 24 years old and live in Eindhoven. I have been working at PwC for 2 years now, first as an intern, and later as an Associate in the Assurance department within PwC Eindhoven. Simultaneously, I am finishing my last course of the Post-Master Accountancy in Tilburg. Next to my studies I enjoy spending my weekends with family or riding my motorcycle. After high school, in 2012, I moved from Apeldoorn to Tilburg to study for a bachelor in Business Economics. Despite the fact that I was an active member of Asset | Marketing, I quickly discovered that Accountancy-related courses inspired me the most. Crunching numbers and the story behind the figures I found most interesting. This interest became extra clear because of the Inhousedays of several accountancy firms I enjoyed. As a result, I started with a Master in Accountancy after graduating in the Bachelor Business Economics. During my Master I did an internship with PwC and wrote my thesis here. Why PwC? During my studies I had the opportunity to look around several offices, both in the Big-4 and smaller offices. Ultimately, I chose to join one of the Big-4 office, because I believed I could develop myself optimally there. Of course, that led to the question: Which office? I decided based on my gut feeling. I have been to a lot of events, like the Inhousedays, BBQ-nights and case-days. As a result, I became more familiar with 3 of the 4 major offices. Therefore, I went into job interviews with multiple offices, but during these talks my preference for PwC became clear rapidly. “Go to as many of the events organized as possible to get a good impression of the culture at the companies.” I immediately felt at home, connected with my colleagues and experienced the most informal vibe here. Also, I had the impression that PwC was really willing to invest in me, in order for me to develop myself. In addition, you are placed in a 2-year development program of Pwc, The Associate Academy, where you get to develop yourself with the assistance of a coach, a lot of work experience, training and social events. Experience so far Within PwC I am in the final phase of the Associate Academy. During this program I had the opportunity to gather experience within almost every department, something that distinguishes PwC from the other firms. Next to that, I had the opportunity to develop myself within the program because of the great guidance of a coach, the multiple trainings that are organized, and sparring during the training days with other Associates of my year. In addition to the work and training, a lot of activities are organized where you can get to know your colleagues in a different way. For example, I went on a weekend trip to Cologne with fellow Associates of the office in Eindhoven, every year we go on a ski trip, and multiple team outings are organized, which vary from a diner to a trip to the Efteling. In addition, sports events are regularly organized, like an indoor football- or tennis tournament. Soon, PwC will be having its 125 anniversary and to celebrate there will be a big party for all the offices in the Netherlands. In short, a lot of opportunities to get to know colleagues in an informal way. In conclusion, PwC offers you the room to develop yourself in other areas than Accountancy, as I am involved in the recruitment team of the south region of the Netherlands within PwC, and I am part of the Connected Running. Through Connected Running me and a couple of colleagues organize jogging work-outs for colleagues and clients. My tips for students Go to as many of the events organized as possible to get a good impression of the culture at the companies. Ultimately, all the offices have the same type of clients and same working activities, and the difference is made by the type of people that work there and the culture of the firm. It is a search for the place that makes you feel at home. In addition, I made the right choice to write my thesis at an Accountancy firm. This kind of experience offers the opportunity to have an insight in a company where you might end up working, a look at the kind of activities you might be performing, and most of all, to get to know the people. I can recommend you to do this. Try to join a team during an internship, so you get a good impression of the work.
Working at Van Oers
Can you introduce yourself? My name is Thomas Oomen, 25 years old and originally from Breda. Currently, I’ve been working as Assistant Accountant at Van Oers in the Audit department for over 2,5 years. Van Oers is a large regional firm with 5 branches in West-Brabant, with about 300 employees and is targeted at the SME sector. Other than work and studying I enjoy occasionally drinking a specialty beer with friends and closely follow football. During my high school career, I was most interested in subjects like M&O and Economics, and discovered quickly I would like to do something in Economics. More specifically, the numerical aspect was the most appealing to me at the time. After graduating with a VWO diploma I started my bachelor in Business Economics in 2011 at Tilburg University. During the bachelor I had affinity with subjects in the field of accountancy and after graduating in Business Economics I continued with a Master in Accountancy, also at Tilburg University. Currently I am in the concluding phase of the Post-Master Accountancy. How did you end up at Van Oers? During the third year of the bachelor Business Economics and the master Accountancy I came in contact with multiple Accountancy firms, particularly Big4 firms. After a couple of conversations during, for example, workshops at the university, I didn’t feel like I had a good connection with any of the companies. Therefore, I continued looking in the Breda region and after a short search, a phone call, and a couple interviews I ended up at Van Oers. Ultimately, I chose a smaller regional accountancy firm, since these are more compact in size. Because of that, there are shorter lines of communication and I experience it as a more personal and more informal environment. Also, firms like these are more focused on the SME sector. Organizations in the SME sector are smaller in size than listed companies, so it’s easier to get a clear view of the whole organization and administration. “At Van Oers there is an informal, open and personal environment and I can describe Van Oers as a Burgundian organization.” What are your duties at Van Oers? Working at Van Oers is very diverse. Van Oers is mostly focused on for-profit clients in various sectors, like production, trade and service companies in, for example, transport and logistics, construction and agricultural industry. Because organizations in the SME sector are limited in size, we deal with a lot of different types of companies. This results in a lot of variety: one week a production company, the next a service-oriented company with completely different characteristics and concerns. The activities are conducted in varying teams, tailored to the client. The team consists of a group of colleagues coming from different hierarchical levels and together they perform the audit procedures. As a starter, the learning curve in the first period is almost vertical, and there is a lot to learn from more experienced colleagues. Working in an accounting firm comes with a lot of responsibilities, which requires high involvement from the employee. Besides the Audit department, Van Oers has, among others, a payment-, fiscal-, and consultancy department. Because employees work together in an informal way, it’s easy to gather advice from colleagues if something more complicated comes up during the audit. This ensures that next to development in the area of auditing, employees also gather basic knowledge in, for example, the fiscal area. How would you describe Van Oers? At Van Oers there is an informal, open and personal environment and I can describe Van Oers as a Burgundian organization. Every team member gets their own responsibilities within an assignment, depending on his or her position. This supports personal development, which prepares you swiftly for the next step in your career. In addition, it ensures a high level of involvement from colleagues in the assignment. Besides development on the practical level, Van Oers emphasizes development in the theoretical area. Practically all colleagues in the Audit department are currently enrolled in either the pre-master, master or post-master to become a register accountant. What are your ambitions? My ambition is to become a register accountant. Until then I want to develop myself as much as possible, which is certainly possible at Van Oers. Development is possible in both the professional and personal sense. Van Oers offers, besides professional training and gatherings, an internal educational path on a personal level, like behavior and management. Often this takes place with colleagues from other departments. Do you have any advice for students? I would like to advise students to look at the full picture and to learn more about the company you want to work for. Think about the type of clients you enjoy working with, what work environment and culture suits you and ask for the experiences of people working there. After all, you spend a significant part of your week at the job with your colleagues. Make sure that you have the right connection with your future employer.
Accounting Insight 2017: Why good auditors do bad audits!
On the 29th of November Accounting Insight took place. Accounting Insight is an interactive symposium in which a discussion is held about different accounting-related topics. This event helps building a bridge between academic theory taught in lectures at Tilburg University and the practical situations individuals come across within companies. As of February we, as the organizing committee, have been busy organizing this event. The organization started with choosing a suitable topic and approaching interesting speakers. The topic was quickly chosen, the overall theme of the evening would be ‘Why good auditors do bad audits’. Finding the speakers for the speakers’ panel went more easily than expected. Within a reasonable amount of time we had a prominent and enthusiastic panel of speakers and the two most important components for a successful evening were a fact. After this we could start finding a suitable location, keeping good contacts with the sponsors and designing the promotion materials. “They believe that a whole generation has to be removed before this culture problem can be solved.” Soon we reached the 29th of November and enthusiastic participants who were waiting to obtain more insights in the current developments of the accounting sector were slowly filling the foyer of the Studiozaal of Theaters Tilburg. Chairman of the evening Bas Knoop lead the discussion and four propositions were discussed by Godert van der Poel (CFO Siemens NV), Rob Fijneman (Chairman KPMG), Pieter Jongstra (Chairman NBA), Dagmar van Boekel (Partner Joore) and Johan Hopmans (Partner Deloitte). The 53 measures that were implemented to improve the audits was the first topic that was being discussed. According to Mr. Jongstra the profession is heading the right direction, but this has not been acknowledged by the public yet. On the other hand, Mr. Van der Poel and Mrs. Van Boekel think that the problem is mainly about the prevailing culture within the audit firms. They believe that a whole generation has to be removed before this culture problem can be solved. The capacity problem and the partner structure were the next topics. There was no doubt between the speakers that the sector is dealing with a capacity problem. Audit firms are generally dealing with capacity struggles that don’t benefit the quality of the audit very often. Mrs. Van Boekel states that the partner structure is the reason she left a Big Four firm for a smaller audit firm. Because of this she is working at clients more often, even though she is a partner at Joore now. “Where improvement is needed? Communication” About the role of an auditor when detecting fraud the panel mostly agreed. Detecting fraud should not be the primary role of an auditor, the panel believes, but auditors for sure have to be alert! ‘Where improvement is needed? Communication’, states Mr. Jongstra. The last topic is technology. As of lately, the accounting profession is changing. Technological developments play a major role. Unfortunately this doesn’t show up yet in the education program, states Mr. Fijneman. An auditor doesn’t have to be an IT specialist, but in the future every audit team will consist of specialised individuals including an IT-auditor. After all these insights are being shared, there was a closing drink where all participants could evaluate the evening or get in touch with one of the partner firms of Accounting Insight 2017. All in all, I believe we can look back at a successful evening which has helped bringing together theory and practise! The evening would not be possible without our partners, therefore I would like to make use of this occasion to thank them again. Next to that, of course I want to direct a word of thanks to our speakers’ panel and the chairman of the evening! Last but not least I want to thank my fellow committee members Anne, Rob and Matthieu and our coordinator Cindy for organizing this event! I hope to see you all at the next edition of Accounting Insight!
Working at Crowe Horwath Foederer
Kim Vos (24) is employed as a senior within the audit practice of CHF. Kim is currently following the Post-Master Accountancy (PMA) at Tilburg University. Kim has already been working for quite some time in the audit practice of CHF and has several clients in the profit sector. As a senior Kim is responsible for the execution of audit activities. Roel van den Berg RA (32) is employed as a manager within the audit practice of CHF and as of 2014 he is also employed as a professor at Tilburg University. Roel has national and international operating clients in large firms as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and in the non-profit sector. CHF is a rapidly growing company, is nearly employing 450 people and is among the top 15 accountancy firms in the Netherlands. CHF has a nationwide network of offices and is a member of Crowe Horwath International; the eighth largest network in the world with more than 31,000 employees in 125 countries! Why CHF? Kim: “As a student I did several internships at different accountancy firms. That is how I came in contact with CHF. Eventually, I was able to paint a clear picture of the work of an auditor and I made the well-considered choice to work for CHF. What really appealed to me was the casual atmosphere and the multidisciplinary approach at CHF.” “There is not only an informal atmosphere but also a high level of guidance and there is always someone available with whom I can brainstorm with.” Roel: “After finishing my HBO I started my career at EY in the practice of international audit. During my time there I acquired a lot of experience and knowledge. Altogether a decision I will never regret. However, at the time, as a result of the change of course within the ‘big four’ in general and EY in particular (focusing almost exclusively on large companies), I continued to pursue my career at a medium-sized accountancy office. Almost two years ago I made the transition to CHF together with a number of other colleagues from EY. I made my definitive choice for CHF because of their strategy, the innovative ability, the substance, the international connection and the fact that they are solution-oriented. There are all characteristics through which a traditional SME office can anticipate on the ‘market vacuum’ that is currently being drawn by the ‘big four.’ This is an aspect of CHF of which I am a part that is very worthwhile.” Why is accountancy fun and what are the possibilities within CHF? Kim: “My clients consist of a good mix of different branches, which makes my work very challenging and diverse. Moreover, I spend the biggest part of my time with clients along with my audit team. Besides auditors, the teams consist of a taxation specialist and an IT auditor as well. Furthermore, the manager and partner at CHF are also contributing to the work being done at CHF which I find really appealing. Because of this there is not only an informal atmosphere but also a high level of guidance and there is always someone available with whom I can brainstorm with. Simultaneously I am getting a lot of responsibilities and I am involved in (almost) every case. As a result I have already learned a fair bit in my early career.” Roel: “I completely agree with Kim; there is not really much of a hierarchy, this is something what really appeals to me. Working with young but very driven team members is one of the enjoyable aspects of our profession. Just recently we gave our audit practice a boost by hiring a couple of young and passionate employees. This is something that really energizes me. “At the moment we invest a lot in the evolution of an advanced data-driven total solution.” Personal and professional development is considered to be of great importance within CHF. Because of this, CHF has a professional programme which offers employees to follow numerous of external as well as internal practice orientated courses on all sort of levels to develop their skills. So it is up to you at what pace and in which direction your career develops.” The audit practice and the part of data analysis Roel: “The last period a lot happened in our profession but in the upcoming period there are many things bound to happen. Our profession is in motion, is in development as you might say. An important aspect of that development is data analysis. From the first day I started working at CHF, I was involved in the implementation of data analysis in the audit practice.” Kim: “In the meantime our audit approach is mostly based on data analysis and luckily this subject is getting more and more attention in education. In practice, data analysis means that we make connections between data and identify exceptional transactions based on the data we get from IT-systems. By examining the background of these transactions, we are not only capable to make a statement about the correctness of the annual statement (a traditional task of the auditor) but we also incite our customers and furthermore we contribute to the optimization of their processes. Exceptions often indicate a break-through of the prescribed process. This approach which I have seen a couple of times in actual practice has led to successes a number of times. In addition, focusing on exceptions helps to minimize unnecessary and time-consuming sampling, making inspections not only more efficient but also more fun as well!” Roel: “At the moment we invest a lot in the evolution of an advanced data-driven total solution. This means, just like Kim said, that our work has not only changed in regards to the content it also had direct implications on the schedule as well. After all the distinction between the interim and an end-year control will disappear. This also means that future auditors will have to meet different standards. In my opinion, analytical abilities and communicative skills are
Being an editor of Faces Online
Hi, my name is Roel Elissen and since September 2016 I am one of the editors of Faces Online. As of today, the 1st of September 2017, I will be the chairman of this committee. In this article I’m going to give you an insight on what it is like to be an editor of Faces Online. When I started my bachelor Business Economics in 2016 I wanted to do something next to my study. I started searching for some study associations and that brought me to Asset | Accounting & Finance. After contacting them, they invited me for a personal conversation to have a look at the available committees. Finally, I decided to join the editors of Faces Online, better known as the Faces Committee. What does an editor do? During the weekly meetings with all the editors, we brainstorm about subjects that might be interesting to post on Faces Online. The concrete ideas will then be divided among the editors. These ideas are finance- or accounting related subjects, but it is also possible that you will manage an article about someone who has experienced something interesting in a foreign country. Furthermore, sometimes you are able to do an interview with a prominent person from the business world, this could be the CFO of Mars Nederland for instance. As soon as you know which article you will manage, you start approaching the relevant company or person. You introduce yourself, explain what you want and ask them if they want to cooperate. At the beginning I couldn’t imagine many people would respond positively, but this wasn’t true. Together with your contact person, you plan a deadline for the article. “By becoming active beside your study you meet a lot of amazing people who contribute to an amazing student life!” Having received the article, you check the article and possibly give some feedback. Articles on Faces Online are published in two languages, English and Dutch, so it’s possible that you have to translate your article to one of these languages. When the article is finished, you will think of an interesting title and make an attractive banner. When everything is ready, you will upload the article. When it is uploaded, one of the editors-in-chiefs, one of the chairmen of the committee, give it a quick check and after that they finally hit the publish button! Everyone can read the article then on our website, and Faces Online shares the article on its Facebook and LinkedIn, to reach as many people as possible. What do you learn from the Faces Committee? As an editor of Faces Online you learn a lot of things! When I started in this committee, I thought I wouldn’t learn too much, but nothing is less true. – You learn how to work in a team during the weekly meetings and communicating. – By contacting organizations and other people, you learn how to present yourself. – By translating articles, your English language skills improve. – By making banners and pictures, you learn how to work with Adobe Photoshop. – Last but not least, by becoming active beside your study you meet a lot of amazing people who contribute to an amazing student life! Are you interested in becoming an editor of Faces Online? Mail to info@asset-accountingfinance.nl.
