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!