What Type Of Person Thrives In Accounting According To An Audit Associate At A Big 4 Firm
To thrive in the auditing industry, a genuine "love for it" is crucial, but equally important are strong social skills and assertiveness, balanced with politeness. Success requires individuals to be efficient, confidently raising issues ("deal with them head on"), while remaining considerate of colleagues.
Social Skills, Assertiveness, Politeness, Efficiency, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Zachary Milano
Audit associate
Big 4 Accounting Firm
Cal Poly
None
Economics
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. People who thrive in the accounting industry have a genuine love for their work and find it thoroughly enjoyable.
2. Being social and assertive while maintaining politeness are key traits for success; confidently raising and addressing issues is important, but it needs to be balanced with a considerate approach.
3. Efficiency is crucial; while accuracy and thoroughness are essential, professionals must be able to manage their workload and get things done effectively even under pressure.
Transcript
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry?
The people who thrive in this industry are those with a genuine love for it. They're the ones who can wake up and thoroughly enjoy their work.
While I thoroughly enjoy my work, I also have things outside of it that I enjoy a lot. So, there are things that pull me away from it.
The people who truly excel here are social. There are many antisocial accountants, so if you're social, you're going to rise to the top instantly. That's a nice advantage.
You have to be assertive without being overbearing. Many people hesitate to raise issues because they're nervous they might be wrong or don't want to cause problems. However, those confident enough to raise issues and deal with them head-on are recognized by management as moving things forward.
You also have to be polite to counterbalance that assertiveness. If someone is a nuisance and always raising problems, no one will like that. You need a soft touch.
Lastly, you should be an efficient worker. This doesn't mean being fast, as much of the work requires carefulness and thoroughness. It means you're efficient in the sense that you can get things done, even with a lot of work on your plate.
Advizer Personal Links