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OxfordGuideToCareers2017
OxfordGuideToCareers2017
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ACCOUNTANCY + FINANCIAL SERVICES<br />
Saskia Ilsen Nunn<br />
Senior Consultant in<br />
International Mobility<br />
Consulting, PwC<br />
Christ Church, BA<br />
Geography, 2012<br />
WHAT: I work with a range of<br />
clients across various industries.<br />
Part of my job is to ensure that<br />
organisations and their employees are<br />
compliant from a wage tax, income tax<br />
and social security perspective, when<br />
they send employees to work abroad or<br />
receive expatriates from other countries.<br />
I also consult with client firms more<br />
broadly to ensure that their assignment<br />
and global mobility policies are structured<br />
appropriately and in such a way that<br />
they create value for them as well as<br />
helping them find solutions to the many<br />
complexities which come with having a<br />
globally mobile employee population.<br />
WHY: My job is hugely varied and fastmoving<br />
due both to the ever-changing<br />
tax environment and the impact of<br />
globalisation, which affects the way my<br />
clients do business and who they need to<br />
send where and why. Don’t listen when<br />
people say tax is dull!<br />
GETTING IN: I successfully completed an<br />
internship at PwC during my second year<br />
at Oxford and consequently received<br />
a full-time job offer to join PwC after<br />
graduation. The internship was a great<br />
taster of what it would be like to work<br />
at PwC and also what opportunities<br />
International Mobility had to offer. If<br />
you’re unsure what career you want<br />
to pursue, I’d highly recommend<br />
looking into internships first.<br />
EARLY CAREER: I started fresh-faced<br />
out of university and spent two and<br />
a half years working in my original<br />
business area before being seconded<br />
to the Internal Global Mobility team<br />
at a large international technology<br />
company. Then after three years,<br />
with an ACA in hand and the ability<br />
to call myself a fully qualified<br />
Chartered Accountant, I decided<br />
to take the plunge and request<br />
an international secondment. I’m<br />
currently six months into a one and<br />
a half year contract with PwC in the<br />
Netherlands, working and living in<br />
Amsterdam. It may not be the typical<br />
assignment location but I am loving<br />
it!<br />
TOP TIPS: Always be pro-active<br />
and ask questions. Nothing will be<br />
handed to you on a plate.<br />
Take advantage of any opportunities<br />
which come your way!<br />
ACCOUNTANCY + FINANCIAL SERVICES<br />
Ben Rose<br />
Strategy Associate,<br />
Aon Inpoint<br />
St Hilda’s College,<br />
BA Hons Music, 2014<br />
WHAT: I joined Aon Inpoint in April<br />
2016. We are consultants to insurers<br />
and reinsurers providing data-driven<br />
insights, global market assessments<br />
and strategic recommendations.<br />
WHY: Though the hours can be long, the<br />
fast-paced, client-focused project work is<br />
thrilling. I particularly enjoy the chance to<br />
become an expert in something new for<br />
every project and the opportunity to be<br />
creative when designing solutions.<br />
GETTING IN: Internships and graduate<br />
schemes will give you the keys to<br />
the City if you are fortunate enough<br />
to win a place: my career kicked off<br />
with a summer internship in second<br />
year, leading to a place on the Lloyd’s<br />
graduate scheme in 2014. Try not to<br />
be disheartened when an application<br />
you’ve worked hard on doesn’t pay<br />
off – everyone gets their fair share of<br />
rejections.<br />
In terms of what to apply for, I<br />
wholeheartedly recommend a role or<br />
scheme which allows you to explore<br />
a number of different placements.<br />
Personally, it showed me that I really<br />
wanted to pursue a strategy role,<br />
and gave me the tools to shape my<br />
remaining placements towards achieving<br />
that aim!<br />
INTERVIEWING: In my first few<br />
interviews, employers showed<br />
a surprising level of interest in<br />
my spare time activities. Nonacademic<br />
achievements make<br />
you memorable as a candidate<br />
and give the interviewer a great<br />
icebreaker – especially if they are<br />
nervous too! For me, being able to<br />
link captaining a hockey team and<br />
giving piano recitals with leadership<br />
and presentation skills was extremely<br />
useful. Finally, always bear in mind<br />
that one of the main questions<br />
interviewers keep in the back of their<br />
minds is whether they would want to<br />
work in a team with the candidate:<br />
trade arrogance for confidence; think<br />
enthusiastic, friendly and competent.<br />
TOP TIPS: From entry-level to C-suite,<br />
never be afraid to reach out to<br />
connections for advice. Your network<br />
is always bigger than you think.<br />
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