COLLEGIAL AND FRIENDLY

“Being a team player within a team environment is what I like most about being an auditor” says JAMIE MARSHALL.

“The majority of the work I do is team-orientated and you have to know how to interact with people at different levels to achieve a common goal.”

Since moving from the Waikato, where he grew up and went to university, Jamie (22) has established himself with one of the world’s largest accountancy companies. He is an auditor with KPMG and is based in Auckland’s CBD.

“It is about working as a team and there is always someone above you that you can ask questions to. You cover quite a lot of the business processes in auditing.

“There are always people you can talk to if you are ever lost. Everyone is happy to help and [this is] one of the main reasons I enjoy it.”

Jamie is currently completing the Chartered Accountants (CA) Program and is working towards the Graduate Diploma in Chartered Accounting.

Before joining KPMG, Jamie spent a year as a student representative with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

“It was a good way to get involved more and get your name out there. It is always good to talk to other students about Chartered Accountants. There were a few events I attended, and we were at the forefront of telling people about all the accounting jobs out there.”

Jamie went to the University of Waikato and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies.

“The university has an amazing business school. It is not a huge place so you get lots of exposure to things you may not get in a bigger city like Auckland or Wellington. It is more concentrated with the number of students.

“Yes, I loved it. There were a lot of good professors there and it is a really good environment actually.”

Before heading to university, he attended Matamata College in the Waikato, not far from Hamilton. In Year 13, he took Accounting, Calculus, PE, Physics and Chemistry. He says he did look at the possibility of going away to study at other universities but in the end, he settled on staying close to home.

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He also got a Ko Te Tangata scholarship, which is available to secondary school students who enrol at the University of Waikato and who received an excellence or merit endorsed NCEA Level 2.

“That kind of just spoke to me and it was close to home as well. I didn’t have to move away from family and a lot of my friends were going there.”

■ JAMIE MARSHALL CURRENTLY WORKS AS AN AUDITOR AT KPMG NEW ZEALAND

■ HE HAS A BACHELOR OF BUSINESS MAJORING IN ACCOUNTING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO

■ JAMIE IS COMPLETING THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS PROGRAM AND WORKING TOWARDS THE GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN CHARTERED ACCOUNTING

For school leavers considering a career in accountancy, Jamie says the key thing is to be confident and to back yourself.

“Some of my friends at uni were too scared to apply for a big firm. If you take a shot at it, you may be surprised. Even if you don’t have the best grades, a lot of the firms are looking for all-rounders and team players.

“Just never doubt yourself.”

For more information on careers in accounting, visit www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/ become-a-member/memberships/ student-affiliates/high-school