Reading time: 3 minsWhat is your role and how long have you been at Moore Kingston Smith?
September 2023. I work with the Corporate Audit team which means I primarily work in audit for large corporate groups that are often international.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career journey to date?
I grew up in South London before moving to Southampton for University. I graduated as a History student back in 2022. I then had a brief stint working in car insurance in Southampton before moving back to London to start work at MKS.
Outside of work, I am a huge fan of football, cooking and 90s Hip Hop.
What would a ‘normal’ day look like for someone in your role?
The tasks you are given can really vary from day-to-day and job-to-job which keeps things interesting. You also have lots of ‘bookings’ throughout the year on different projects. This means you get the opportunity to work with lots of different people, and you are exposed to their unique working styles and approaches.
Often the tasks centre around either: scrutinising client data; corroborating account balances and movements; or recalculating client estimates. Our end-goal is to verify the accuracy and suitability of the financial statements which our clients have prepared before they are shared publicly.
The role is client-facing and as such you get plenty of experience of having meetings with the client team. It’s a great opportunity to develop your interpersonal skills and often a strong client relationship is the most important tool for an auditor.
What inspired you to apply for this role/this company?
I had a keen interest in entering the world of finance, whilst also gaining a professional qualification. The role itself offered a nice balance of exposure to different industries while the ACA would give me a well-rounded understanding of what makes a business tick.
MKS itself really appealed to me because of it’s ‘people-first’ philosophy which really resonated with me. The role offered a great opportunity to develop my interpersonal skills and technical knowledge.
What advice would you give to someone considering applying for a role at MKS? What would you have liked to know before starting your role?
Go for it! MKS has a really friendly and outgoing culture which is clear to see from day one. My recommendation would be to look into the ACA qualification before applying as it isn’t for everyone. However, what I didn’t realise before applying is how much support I would get both from my own intake and the rest of the trainees at the firm. With each exam it gets less daunting as I know how strong of a support network I have.
There are big annual social events such as the Summer Party and Chrsitmas parties where people from all the different offices come together. A personal favourite is Sports Week as all the offices compete against each other in a mixture of: Football, Rounders, Netball, Table Tennis, and Pool. Even if you lack any coordination or athleticism, there are always so many other spectators to sit with and meet.
On a more regular basis, there are options to get involved with football, running and a variety of other clubs at the city office. Each team also ahs it’s own social budget and audit meals which are a nice opportunity to socialise with your team after work at a pub, restaurant, or activity bar.
There are also a number of committees that you can be a part of including: diversity and inclusion, natural world, wellbeing, social, and branding and values.
As a trainee, how does MKS support your wellbeing?
MKS has a Wellbeing Committee that are dedicated to all levels of staff. For trainees in particular there is a Trainee Wellbeing Hub which pools together helpful resources, tips for studying, and reassuring anecdotes from past and present trainees.
At a firm level, there are a number of initiatives and awareness weeks that are run to safeguard our mental health and signpost the support that is available including EAP and Mental Health First Aiders.
What development opportunities have you had since joining MKS?
The ACA has greatly improved my technical capability and knowledge of business areas including: accounting, taxation, law, investment, strategy, and assurance.
My interpersonal skills have grown so much as a result of regular client interaction and switching of the people I work with. I have also developed great project management skills by having to balance the competing demands of an audit with my own studies.
I have also been able to take on leadership roles by coaching newer intakes of trainees and organising events including Mental Health Awareness Week and a Team Volunteering Day.