BDO Graduate Careers

1. Go to all orientations. Do you really need to go on yet another campus tour? Yes. The faster you learn your way around campus - and around all the red tape - the more at ease you'll feel and the better prepared you'll be when issues arise.

2. Get to know your roommate and others in your residence hall. The people you live with, most of whom are going through similar experiences and emotions, are your main safety net -- not only this year, but for all your years. You may change roommates after the first semester or you may stay roommates for all four years - just take the time to get to know your fellow first-year students.

3. Get organised. In high school, the teachers tended to lead you through all the homework and due dates. At varsity, the lecturers post the assignments - often for the entire semester - and expect you to be prepared. Buy a diary, a big wall calendar or whatever it takes for you to know when assignments are due.

4. Find the ideal place for you to study. It may be your res room or a cozy corner of the library, but find a place that works best for you to get your work done - while avoiding as many distractions as possible.

5. Go to class. Obvious, right? Maybe, but sleeping in and skipping that 8 am class will be tempting at times. Avoid the temptation. Besides learning the material by attending classes, you'll also receive vital information from the professors about what to expect on tests, changes in due dates, etc.

6. Become an expert on course requirements and due dates. Lecturers spend hours and hours preparing course syllabi and calendars so that you will know exactly what is expected of you - and when. One of the lamest excuses a student can give a lecturer: "I didn't know it was due today."

7. Meet with your lecturers. There are only upsides to getting to know your lecturers, especially if later in the semester you run into some snags. Lecturers schedule office hours for the sole purpose of meeting with students - take advantage of that time.

8. Get to know your academic adviser. This is the person who will help you with course conflicts, adding or dropping courses, scheduling of classes for future semesters, deciding on majors and minors. This person is a key resource for you - and should be the person you turn to with any academic issues or conflicts. And don't be afraid of requesting another adviser if you don't click with the one first assigned to you.

9. Seek a balance. University life is a mixture of social and academic happenings. Don't tip the balance too far in either direction. Remember the old saying "study hard so you can play hard."

10. Get involved on campus. A big problem for a lot of new students is a combination of homesickness and a feeling of not quite belonging. A solution? Consider joining a select group - and be careful not to go overboard - of student organisations, clubs, or sports teams. You'll make new friends, learn new skills, and feel more connected to your varsity.

11. Strive for good grades. Another obvious one here, right? While good grades could have come naturally to you in high school, you will have to earn them in university - and that means setting some goals for yourself and then making sure you work as hard as you can to achieve them.

12. Take advantage of the study resources on campus. Just about all universities have learning labs and tutors available. If you're having some troubles, these resources are another tool available to you. Another idea: form study groups. Chartered Accountants.

13. Make time for you. Be sure you set aside some time and activities that help you relax and take the stress out of your day or week. Whether it's enlisting yoga techniques, watching your favorite television shows, or writing in a journal, be good to yourself.

14. Don’t feel pressured to make hasty decisions about your career or majors. It doesn't matter if it seems as though everyone else seems to know what they're doing with their lives - they probably don't - university is the time for you to really discover who you are, what you enjoy doing, what you're good at, and what you want to be. It's not a race; take your time and enjoy exploring your options.

15. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. Don't look to place the blame on others for your mistakes; own up to them and move on. Being an adult means taking responsibility for everything that happens to you.

16. Make connections with students in your classes. In the first week of classes try to meet at least one new person in each of your classes. It will expand your network of friends - and will be a crucial resource at times when you may have to miss a class.

17. Find the Career Services office. Regardless of whether you are entering university as undeclared or have your entire future mapped out, seek out the wonderful professionals in your varsity’s career services office and get started on planning, preparing, and acting on your future.

18. Don't procrastinate; prioritise your life. It may have been easy in high school to wait until the last minute to complete an assignment and still get a good grade, but that will not work for you in varsity. Give yourself deadlines - and stick to them.

19. Stay healthy / eat right. A lot of problems first-year students face can be traced back to an illness that kept them away from classes for an extended period of time that led to a downward spiraling effect. Get enough sleep, take your vitamins, and eat right. If you haven't heard the jokes about university food, you soon will. And without mom or dad there to serve you a balanced meal, you may be tempted to go for those extra fries or cookies.

20. Learn to cope with homesickness. It's only natural that there will be times when you miss your family, even if you were one of those kids who couldn't wait to get away. Find a way to deal with those feelings, such as making a phone call or sending emails home.

21. Stay on campus as much as possible. Whether it's homesickness, a job, or a boyfriend or girlfriend from home, try not to leave campus too soon or too often. The more time you spend getting to know the campus and your new friends, the more you'll feel at home at varsity. And why not take advantage of all the cultural and social events that happen on campus?

22. Seek professional help when you need it. Most universities have health and counseling centers. If you're sick or feeling isolated or depressed, please take advantage of the many services these offices provide students. You don't have to face these issues by yourself.

23. Keep track of your money. If you've never had to create a budget, now is the time to do so. Find ways to stretch your money - and as best you can, avoid all those credit card solicitations you'll soon be receiving. The average credit card debt of university graduates is staggering.

24. Don't cut corners. University is all about learning. If you procrastinate and cram, you may still do well on tests, but you'll learn very little. Even worse, don't cheat on term papers or tests.

25. Be prepared to feel overwhelmed. There's a lot going in your life right now. Expect to have moments where it seems a bit too much. As one student says, be prepared to feel completely unprepared. The trick is knowing that you're not the only one feeling that way.



Final words of advice You've done all the prep work – you got good marks in high school, scored well on your matric results, and been accepted into the university you want to attend - so enjoy all your hard work while laying the groundwork for a successful university career. Don't be a statistic; be determined to make it through your first year - and beyond. Take advantage of your network of new friends and lecturers, have fun while learning as much as you can, and get the most out of your university experience.

Best Wishes

BDO Graduate Recruitment Team

Felisa decided on a four-month secondment to Holland, whilst Samanta and her husband experienced an eye-opening two years in Canada. Both experienced hugely different cultures and environments, but returned feeling rejuvenated in terms of the career aspirations and appreciation of home.

Here’s a little of what they had to say about living and working in a different country:

What were your experiences in terms of your work?

Felisa: Living amongst a Dutch speaking nation was probably my biggest challenge. The language barrier also meant that I was assigned a clerical position and not a management one, which I had here, but I chose not to make that my focus. I wanted to learn about the culture, travel and take from it as much as I could, personally.

Samanta: Although I occupied a senior management position here, I was, to some extent, demoted on that side. I was made a senior accountant due to the fact that I didn’t know the Canadian accounting standard, but did eventually get promoted to a more senior position again.

My last year was particularly enjoyable as we started using new accounting methodologies. I also went on a number of “out of town” audits and training courses, and the opportunity to interact with BDO employees from different countries really opened up the world for me.

What were some of the bigger challenges?

Felisa: Being the only secondee in Holland I spent most of my time on my own as the Dutch people are very friendly, but keep very much to themselves. Learning to drive on the “right” side of the road in icy conditions took some getting used to.

Samanta: Our biggest challenges, I think, were things like finding a place to live, a job for my husband and trying to get the Canadians to understand our accent.

Although we were helped with accommodation for our first month, reality really set in when we started settling down to the “nitty gritties” of actually living there.

What were the biggest benefits for you?

Felisa: The freedom to really experience living over there was the greatest thing for me. As I was only over for four months, my accommodation was arranged so I had no real responsibilities.

I was totally free to do what I wanted in terms of travel and learning about the way of life over there. I also came back with a more optimistic view of BDO and where we are in the world.

Samanta: Learning to come out of my comfort zone. Living in a different country, you’re forced to mingle and meet new people, and you need to prove yourself in terms of your work as you have no “track record”, so it’s like starting over and you push yourself harder. Having the opportunity to travel and see North America was incredible.

I also came back with a new appreciation of my family, South Africa and my lifestyle here – particularly the weather!

What would you say to people who view secondments as a way to getting out of South Africa?

Felisa:“It’s a fantastic way to experience another way of life. You’re liberated from worries like crime, but you still find yourself missing home and family alot.”

Samanta:“I think it’s hard having no real identity, or history, when you live overseas and that is difficult to deal with as it’s quite isolating. You definitely come back with a new appreciation of what you have at home.”

When asked about the advice they’d give to anyone considering taking a secondment, they were unanimous in their response:

“Make every second count. Really live it while you’re there!”

Q: How do you know if you’re a natural chartered accountant?

A: If you’re a very focused, driven individual who has great expectations for yourself going forward then a career in chartered accounting could be the right choice. To succeed in this field you should also enjoy working with people and numbers, and have natural leadership abilities.

Q: What key qualities should a chartered accountant have?

A: The most important quality of any chartered accountant is integrity. As someone who will have access to the financial statements and documents of various companies, you have to be honest and accountable. Because the job is one where you work under pressure, you need to be organised and must be able to plan well. The ability to multi-task is also crucial.

Q: What are the biggest misconceptions about the job?

A: That it’s boring. There’s a lot more to a career in chartered accounting than number-crunching! While you’re involved in auditing during your training, this gives you the foundation you need to become anything from a managing director to a financial services expert in the future. Accounts also isn’t for nerds! If you’re ambitious and prepared to work hard to get where you want in life, then chartered accounting is probably for you.

Q: What is the biggest job reality you should know about?

A: That you need to work hard and remained focused on your long-term goals – especially during your training.

Q: Describe what’s involved in the job. What are a trainee accountant’s core responsibilities?

A: In your first year you’ll be responsible for the more basic auditing work. As you gain more experience though, you’ll become involved in more complex tax calculations, draft financial statements and take on more responsibility during audits.

Q: Describe a typical day as a trainee accountant at BDO.

A: Because BDO is a mid-tier firm, you can expect to be exposed to a large variety of companies when it comes to doing audits. You might be working in the retail industry one week and at a manufacturer the next. A typical day involves arriving at a client’s offices at 8am, meeting with your team to plan for the day, and then completing the specific audit tasks assigned to you. BDO also has many social clubs and opportunities for you to interact with your colleagues after hours. Many of us play action cricket or action netball in the evenings – the perfect way to relieve any stress from that day’s audit!

Q: What are the biggest challenges you must be prepared to face?

A: Stepping up and taking responsibility for your contribution to the audit team. You must also be prepared to work well under pressure – without losing your focus.

Q: What makes it such an exciting job?

A: The unlimited career opportunities it gives you. As a chartered accountant there are no limits when it comes to where you want to go in the future.

Q: What is the best route to follow when it comes to training to become a chartered accountant?

A: This will depend on your financial situation. If it’s possible, I would suggest studying first and then doing your articles when you’ve completed your degree.

Q: How should you decide which company to apply at?

A: Choose a company that will give you the best platform for your career going forward. While the Big Four firms might give you audit exposure to very large companies, mid-tier firms will usually offer you a greater variety of work during your articles and give you access to a broader number of industries.

Q: Why did you choose to join BDO?

A: I liked the exposure BDO was able to offer me to different industries and companies. Within the first three months of my articles I had already worked on a number of very different clients in different sectors which I really enjoyed. The “can do” culture at BDO also means that I’m challenged to stretch myself – as soon as I believe I can take on certain responsibilities I’m encouraged to do so, while being given the necessary support.

Q: The best thing about being a chartered accountant is…

A: The unlimited career opportunities it offers. As soon as I’ve finished my articles and got a bit more experience I’ll have the world at my feet!