Working at Deloitte

Our names are Tim Langewisch and Bolot Ebbing. We are 24 and 22 years old and we are both almost finishing our Master Accountancy in Tilburg. Next to that, the two of us are going to work at Deloitte Audit, starting from September 2017. As any student knows, choosing your path regarding your study and finding the right first employer are not easy tasks. In this article we will write about our choice for the audit profession, our current employer Deloitte, and how we got where we are now.

Where do you know each other from?
Tim: We met at Study Association Asset | Accounting & Finance, of which we had both been active members. Next to studying, I also wanted to acquire other skills, such as soft skills that you can’t learn by reading a book. For that reason and because my interests were focused on accountancy, I decided to become an active member at the study association. I have even been a board member at Asset | Accounting & Finance for a year.
Bolot: I also wanted to participate in activities besides just studying and I had heard from my friends that becoming an active member at Asset | Accounting & Finance was a great way to do that.

During your time as students, you both came into contact with Deloitte. What were your main reasons for choosing this accounting firm?
Bolot: I met people from Deloitte at an Inhouse-day. We had to solve a case about the Efteling, after which we had dinner in the center of Eindhoven. With these ‘Deloitters’ I was able to talk about working at the firm, as well as about many other topics. I really had a wonderful day, and I immediately felt a warm connection with Deloitte.
Tim: During my time as a board member, I’ve often had to contact Deloitte. We hosted many events with Big 4 companies, but the people from Deloitte were the ones I liked best. Next to that, a few friends of mine already started working at Deloitte, which made my choice a little easier.

The two of you are in a relationship right now. Did you deliberately choose to work at different offices?
Bolot: I’m from Breda, and I really wanted to return to that city after my graduation. Therefore it was an easy decision for me.
Tim: My ambition was to work at Deloitte Core Audit. That is the department that audits the large multinationals and publicly traded companies. Those departments are located in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven. Personally, I enjoy the Brabant-life. That’s why I decided to work at Deloitte Eindhoven. So it wasn’t really a deliberate decision not to work at the same office. Nonetheless, I think it’s for the best that we’ll both work at different locations.

“The thesis-internship is a great way to get to know your future colleagues and to get a feeling about what the atmosphere is like at Deloitte”

What are your experiences considering working at Deloitte so far, and do you think it is valuable?
Bolot: The past half year I was a working student at Deloitte. It has been an amazing experience! I recommend anyone to do it as well. You’ll get to know so many different companies. Clients I enjoyed working with the most were Fokker Elmo and BrabantWater. Fokker Elmo makes wiring for Boeings and Airbuses, whereas BrabantWater makes sure we have clean drinking water every day. It’s a good way to get to know the systems and the way of working at Deloitte. I’ve met a lot of colleagues because I worked together with many different teams. Three days per week I worked at Deloitte, and the other two I attended university. The moment you start working four days a week, next to completing the RA-course, everything seems new and very busy. When you are already used to working besides your study, it makes the transition to a working life a lot smoother.
Tim: Even if you are working on your thesis only, you still get to know a lot about the systems and business activities. Besides that, the thesis-internship is a great way to get to know your future colleagues and to get a feeling about what the atmosphere is like at Deloitte. From the start, you’ll get involved in activities, random nights out and skiing holidays. In a couple of weeks we’ll even be going to Manchester together with all the guys from our department.

How would you describe the atmosphere at Deloitte?
Bolot: I would say the atmosphere at Deloitte is very nice and friendly. The audit department in Breda is not so large, so you’ll know everybody within no-time. During my time as working student, I attended a big party, including an overnight stay. The people were all very open and I had a great day.
Tim: I would describe the atmosphere as follows: work hard when you have to, but have a lot of fun outside office hours.

Bolot, what did you exactly do during your time as working student?
When I was a working student, I was in the interim audit team. During the interim audit I was accompanied by a senior staffer who showed me what had to be done and why. I really appreciated the guidance I got and I felt that I was really able to develop myself in a good way. The people immediately treated me as an equal colleague, and I didn’t have to do any chores. I felt part of the team.

What is it that makes the audit profession so enjoyable to you?
Bolot: You work for a lot of different clients and in different teams. That’s why I like it so much. Furthermore, I enjoy working with numbers and being social at the same time.
Tim: I would like to add that the accounting profession is subject to technological innovation. It is ‘on the move’. Nobody is able to tell you exactly what the job looks like in five years. On top of that it is important to me to work in an environment where everyone is relatively young. That way you are still able to have conversations about going out or vacations for example, instead of talking about kids or your pension.

What would you advice the current generation of students?
Bolot & Tim: It is important to explore all possibilities very well. You have to decide which firm you like best. The work you do and the working environment are more or less the same everywhere. By participating in Inhouse-days you’ll be able to get a grasp of what the people and atmosphere are like within different companies.
Bolot: Personally, I would like to advice all students to become a working students for a couple of months so you can be sure you make the right decision about what profession and firm you eventually choose. It sounds cliché, but you have to follow your heart when it comes to finding the right firm. We chose Deloitte.

– This article is translated by an editor of Faces Online