Case studies: Chartered accountant: Kate Baker

Kate is a qualified senior in the Business Advisory Department of Wingrave Yeats. She graduated with BSc in Economics (2:1) in 2006 from the University of Southampton and has recently qualified with ICAS.

I don't think I ever knew what I wanted to do, and I still don't really. I have always been a numbers person so I did maths and economics at A-level. I went on to do economics at university because I knew it was an academic subject that wouldn't narrow my choices down in the way that maths would. I did some accountancy modules in the first year (although ironically I didn't really enjoy them), and it was only getting an internship with Ernst & Young in the summer of my second year that kind of chose my career path for me. I think, if I had got an internship with one of the other firms I applied to, such as BT, I might have ended up working in industry instead.

Internships are such an important route to getting a job. Part of the reason I managed to get one was because of a three-day insight course with PricewaterhouseCoopers I did in the middle of my second year. Searching out these kinds of opportunities would be one of the biggest pieces of advice I could give. The other thing I would say is that it is important to be a rounded person. I didn't ever just go to school, or just go to university, or just work. I am sociable and sporty, and, at university, I was involved in student societies, organising careers fairs with student organisations such as AIESEC. Even now I take on more challenges, be it running the London Marathon or becoming Chair of the ICAS student society, Capella. Don’t just rely on your education to get you the career you dream of.

What I like about Wingrave Yeats is the variety of work on offer. I did a spell at one of the Big Four (the tour largest international accountancy firms: KPMG, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte) and was only ever involved in audit. Here I only spend about forty percent of my time on audit and have also done posting of invoices on to accounting software and preparing statutory accounts. I also attend client-advice meetings.

These client-facing meetings are the thing I enjoy most, particularly with clients such as start-up media companies who aren't very focused on the financial side of their business. It's interesting finding ways to explain the importance of good accounting procedures to them and I often come away with the feeling that I have helped them improve the way they do business.

I am very committed to Wingrave at the moment because I like the atmosphere of the firm. I know I want to go travelling at some point and know that in the future the experience I have had so far could lend me into industry or starting my own business.