David Flett
Having graduated from the University of Bristol in 2007 with a degree in Economics and finance, I took a couple of years out to save up and embark on some travelling.
With the travelling bug out of my system and a desire to kick start my career, I joined the Audit department of Mercer & Hole in September 2009 in the St Albans office.
I chose the ACA qualification because it offers a structured and rewarding career path and opens many doors in terms of career opportunities in the future. I have now been training as an accountant for 18 months and have just become part qualified. On route I have been able to gain many experiences such as meeting and working with new and different clients in all manner of different locations, meeting and socialising with my colleagues as well as other students from different firms whilst at college.
College usually begins within a couple of weeks of joining and before you know it you are sitting your first two e-assessments. Passing the exams is definitely hard work that requires a focused and determined attitude. However, this makes passing the exams all the more rewarding.
Working within Audit most definitely keeps you on your toes as the work undertaken changes from week to week, sometimes even day to day. One week you can be staying away on a relatively large audit, the next week you can be back in the office preparing a smaller set of accounts and the following week you can be at college studying towards your next exam. The learning curve in your first year is very steep and the technical knowledge gained across accountancy, audit and tax is vast. To assist this learning curve it is always reassuring to know that there is someone to help. Whether that be a senior, manager or even a partner. All of whom are willing to help as they have all been in your shoes at some point and understand where you are coming from.
My first 18 months at Mercer & Hole have flown by. They have been hard work both in terms of studying towards my ACA and in terms of working as an auditor, but knowing what I have achieved in that time makes it more than worth while. The friendly and learning focused atmosphere in the office makes Mercer & Hole a great place to work.
David Flett
