Name: Keira Denyse Balderston

Company: KPMG (Vancouver office)

Position: Staff Accountant

Length of employment: 1 year

Degree: Bachelor of Commerce (BComm), Currently Completing Masters in Professional Accounting (MPAcc)

What drew you to your current field?
My father was a partner with a big firm and was able to talk to me about all of the opportunities available to CAs. With a true passion and interest in the field of business, I knew that this designation would be invaluable in shaping a successful future career. A few key attractions of the accounting profession are that I would be exposed to a wide variety of industries and business issues while working with many different, highly intellectual individuals; being able to travel and being placed in a nourishing training ground to develop my skills. Every day I learn something new, something I can take forward with me in anything I do in the future. This is why I chose accounting.

Tell us a bit about your responsibilities.
There are many responsibilities. Working for an accounting firm means that you have to be accountable (no pun intended), not only on a personal level but also on a team level. On a daily basis, I am responsible for completing key sections on an engagement. I am responsible for communicating any issues that I find with my senior in order to ensure they are properly resolved. I am responsible for communicating with both the team and the client on related business matters. Overall, the responsibilities can be summed up as working hard and ensuring that I continuously work efficiently and strive for excellence in meeting all deadlines.

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?
There are many challenging aspects of my position, but all of them are incredibly positive. I would say that one challenge would be learning to balance personal time and work time. I am just finishing my first busy season, as it is called in the industry, where we have to work hard to get all of the work done in order for our clients to issue their year-end financial statements. Because there are long hours sometimes, it was important to ensure that I set time aside for the things that I love to do. Finding time in my week to run, play the guitar, and hang out with friends was challenging but also taught me how efficient I really can be on both a professional and personal level. Another key challenge would be that there is a huge learning curve in this job. This challenge is also one of the most rewarding parts of my job as well. Every day I am faced with something new and it is important to confidently and assertively assess the issues and be aware of what questions I need to ask.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
That is an easy one ' everything! Honestly though, it is the people I get to work with and the daily learning. I am constantly either strengthening my work skills or developing new ones. There is not a day that goes by when I do not have a positive take-away in terms of skill development. And back to the people ' my teams have all been fantastic. We have a lot of fun together while at the same time supporting each other both on the job and in personal and career-related development. KPMG has an amazing support system in place, which, through being both a mentor and a mentee, I have the opportunity to learn from others and create new stretch goals.

What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?
Dedication, hard work, and accountability to personal and career-related growth. It requires that you take advantage of all of the opportunities available within the firm. Opportunities can range from on the job experience to getting involved in the community with the support of the firm. From what I have seen, the most successful individuals are those that take full accountability for their own learning and development, ensuring that they are truly enjoying as well as benefiting from the work that they do.

What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?
Talk to as many people as possible ' friends, family, teachers, counsellors, firm representatives. Get as much information as possible and then assess it on a personal level to figure out what works for you. Create specific goals and analyze the path and support that you will need to attain them. Also, make sure that you are developing the skills that firms are looking for. Get involved in the community, act as a mentor for others, be dedicated to your studies. If you are working hard, then a potential employer will recognize this. Remember that landing a job is a two way street ' yes a firm is hiring you, but you are also hiring them as well.
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