What's your job about?

William Buck is a leading mid-tier Australian Accounting firm with over 140 partners and 1,100 professional staff across 10 offices.

The truth about accounting is that no two jobs are the same. At university, you’re taught that accounting consists of journals, credits and debits and you do the same thing every time. As an accountant in business advisory, this couldn’t be further from the truth. My role consists of preparing financial statements, analysing them and then liaising with clients to facilitate informed financial decision-making.

The most exciting part of this role is the focus we have on collaborating with clients to achieve the best outcomes for them. As a graduate, this is primarily done through:

• The preparation of income tax returns and financial statements
• Preparing Activity Statements monthly, quarterly and annually
• Being a medium between the Australian Tax Office and the client so as to ensure that the client meets their obligations efficiently and effectively

What's your background?

I grew up and have lived in Sydney my entire life. I attended Saint Aloysius’ College for high school, where I learnt the value of hard work, problem-solving and most importantly, critical thinking. I was able

to use these skills and advance them in my time at university studying finance and accounting. I discovered my love for problem-solving while at university and found the career path of business advisory to be an opportunity to put it into action, offering solutions to the various financial problems that business owners are presented with.

During university I worked in retail, construction and as a tutor, all of which have supported me in understanding businesses, discovering the value of being a self-starter and being able to communicate.

At the end of my degree, I was applying for accounting positions and eventually was fortunate enough to receive a job from William Buck as an undergraduate accountant. I loved being able to relate my studies to the practical experience I received. Most importantly though, I loved and continue to love the social aspect of the firm. My colleagues offer unwavering support as I develop in this role and also have become my best friends, who have formed bonds that I’m sure I’ll have for the rest of my career and life. William Buck’s motto is ‘More than Just Advisors’, which has established a positive culture that I thrive in and love.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

I personally don’t believe that there is a right or wrong background for this job. The people around me come from all walks of life and have found useful applications from their experiences in their roles. I feel very passionately about this so I will repeat myself – but you are supported every step of the way. Even in situations where you find yourself entirely lost, someone will be there to walk you through these situations.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

At William Buck, our client focus is unequivocally the greatest part of the job. Behind every successful company, there is an extraordinary person with a fascinating life story. These stories help mould my relationships with them and make the job so easy to do to the highest degree. The relationships I have built with our clients have made my job easy as I’m not working for the sake of a paycheck, but rather to display loyalty and care for the projects that these people have worked so hard to build.

What are the limitations of your job?

There are limitations to every job. Possibly the greatest limitation in my role is just how much there is to know so I feel like I’m constantly leveraging the advice of my colleagues and learning new things every hour. It also becomes quite demanding when combining post-grad study (I am currently in the process of attaining my chartered accountant’s certificate) with full-time work, meaning I am forced to be able to allocate time wisely. These limitations can become exhausting in some instances, but I can’t say that I have found them impossible as William Buck fosters a culture of support through the paid study leave and ‘study groups’ developed with other graduates that help you significantly.

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