Career Path Of An Audit Associate At A Big 4 Accounting Firm
Joel's career path was "a roundabout way," beginning with international affairs and philosophy degrees, followed by administrative work at a law firm which unexpectedly exposed Joel to accounting. This led to a master's in accounting, CPA exam completion, and a current role as an auditor at a Big 4 firm, a transition facilitated by the career reevaluation prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Career Exploration, Career Development, Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Goals, Motivational Stories
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Joel Bobe
Audit Associate
Big 4 Accounting Firm
The George Washington University
UNC - Chapel Hill
International Relations & Affairs, Philosophy
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Joel's career path was non-linear, starting with a degree in international affairs and a job in a law firm before transitioning to accounting.
2. His administrative work in the law firm exposed him to accounting principles and sparked his interest in the field.
3. He pursued a master's in accounting and passed the CPA exams to transition into his current role as an Audit Associate at a Big 4 firm.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you've had before your current career.
Sure. I've had what I would consider a roundabout way to get to where I currently am. I studied international affairs with a concentration in international economics, in addition to a second major in philosophy, at George Washington University in DC.
However, as you might know, I'm an accountant now. I was really in a discovery stage of my life back then, primarily thinking I wanted to enter law. As a result, I worked at a law firm for a couple years after college, doing mostly administrative work for class-action settlements.
I found the work interesting, but it also exposed me to accounting as a profession. While doing this administrative work, I was tracking settlement fees and the reimbursement of legal expenses. So, it appealed to me more than law did.
During COVID, the world sort of froze, which gave me the opportunity to reevaluate my career. I did my master's in accounting, followed by completing all four of my CPA exams. Then, I started work as an auditor at a Big Four firm, which is my current role, though it has changed a little bit since then.