Blog
June 19, 2008
The stereotype of an accountant has always been someone with less than fascinating surroundings, who is trapped behind a stack of paperwork with one hand on a ten key and wearing big, thick, nerdy glasses. Despite not fitting what I thought was the mold, I went on to pursue a career in the field. I chose Clayton & McKervey as my employer, as they offer all the amenities of a larger firm but the family-feel of a small firm. They provided the opportunity to work on all types of engagements, with a large range of businesses and a diverse group of people.
My first engagement was to keep the books of an internationally owned company who recently opened a subsidiary in the US. This engagement gave me the insight of doing private accounting work in a public accounting atmosphere. It also gave me the opportunity to work with all the employees within my client's organization, along with those at its parent company, in Paris, France. I was fortunate enough to work with many fascinating people, in various positions and from diverse cultures ranging from the domestic sales team, to the logistics staff in China to the accounting staff in France.
After having worked on this account for a year, I was asked by the client to attend their annual finance meeting in Paris. Having been my first trip to Europe, I was excited to meet the people that I have been corresponding with for over a year; I also couldn't wait to see the city, taste the food and drown myself in Parisian culture. Crossing an ocean to attend a client meeting took me far from a desk stacked with paperwork, and a ten key for that matter.
My experience on this engagement and at this firm has opened my eyes to what public accounting can be. This early on in my career, I never expected to be sitting in a conference room in Paris discussing accounting issues with controllors from 6 different countries or eating foie gras with those that probably started in the field before I was born. Thus far the perks of working for a firm with an international reach has opened my eyes to different ways of life, broadened my technical background and has also changed my expectation of the profession as a whole.
Oh, and did I mention I wear contact lenses. =)
