Where do I want to work after my studies? It's a question Thijs Verhoeven (27) pondered for a little while when he was doing his master in Finance at Tilburg University. With the emphasis on a moment because during a Career Day at his student association Asset | Accounting & Finance he met some people from Deloitte. 'I felt an instant click. More so than with the people from other large audit firms. It felt personal and familiar, just what I was looking for.' Pleasant, but challenging Lisa Geurts (28) was also attracted to the good vibes she felt when she met her future colleagues. 'I was working on my master's in Accounting & Control at Nijmegen's Radboud University and got into a conversation with a couple of people from Deloitte during an event. They were really friendly and I liked that. Our department has only 50 people in it, so things are uncomplicated. At the same time, we work for large, blue-chip companies with challenging cases. I find that combination very appealing.'

Business and pleasure in Budapest In order to find out whether Deloitte really was their dream employer, Thijs and Lisa signed up for the Business Course Audit. ‘You go to a city in Europe for five days where you work on a case, conduct several conversations with your personal coach and have lots of fun with the other participants.' Thijs and Lisa both went to Budapest, which is a coincidence because they did the Business Course two years apart, and their experiences were very similar. 'It was fantastic. We got to know Deloitte in a very informal way. And vice versa, because our future colleagues took a keen interest in us as candidates. It was very nice to work on cases, as it gave us a good idea of what a future day at work would look like. It’s also nice that you start working in a group with whom you can spar and learn with – during your career. And most importantly, it is very nice that you all experience the same things.’

International ambitions Thijs has now been with Deloitte for three years and has risen to Senior Staff. 'I have three to four clients, all listed companies that operate internationally. And that is also my preference. Within Audit, we also have the departments Public, Private and Financial Services, which work for municipalities, for instance, and family businesses and insurance companies. I like the international aspect of my department. The complexity of the accounts makes the work an interesting challenge and I work closely with colleagues from all over the world.' Grow into your role Lisa chose listed companies, too, and is now a Junior Manager. 'When I started here five years ago, I was a but awestruck by all the big, reputable names. But you really grow into your role here; it's nice to see that happen. To begin with, the work is primarily administrative. Matching an invoice with a bank transaction, for instance, or checking a small item on a ledger. Step by step you gain more insight into such an organization and how they operate. I find easy connections between the figures because I have been involved in certain projects and feeling nervous before a meeting is definitely a thing of the past.'

Much more than figures Thijs and Lisa say that the best thing about their work is the personal contact, be it with clients, a colleague or another accounting firm. 'Sure, our profession is all about checking figures and maintaining an overview– the financial statements must add up – but establishing links, checking processes and asking questions are the things that make the work so interesting,' explains Thijs. The close cooperation with offices in other countries also contributes to job the satisfaction. Lisa: 'Some clients have subsidiaries in countries all over the world. If the head office is in the Netherlands, we're the group auditor and in that capacity we request the accounts of those subsidiaries from our local offices. Supervising that process is something I enjoy very much, especially because I get to work with people from other countries and cultures.'

Lots of nice things to do After three and five years at Deloitte respectively, Thijs and Lisa are still very happy with their decision. 'They're open to anything here, as long as you're vocal about what you want, says Thijs. 'And there are lots of nice things to do outside of the projects, too. I’ve been involved with the Deloitte Impact Foundation for a few years now where I have great fun teaching courses to junior team members. Maybe I'll become a teacher one day. If I do, this will have been great preparation.' Will you come onboard? Lisa is busy with her personal development, too. 'I have just completed my postdoc to become a Chartered Accountant, I'm responsible for the day-to-day management of a team of about six people and I recently got involved in the onboarding process of new colleagues. As an Accountant in Training, the new colleagues discover different areas, such as Audit Advisory, Audit Analytics or IT Audit. I make sure they receive a warm welcome at our department in Eindhoven. From accommodation to a laptop, I believe everything should be perfectly arranged. Perhaps I can welcome you soon?'

CHOOSE YOUR IMPACT You will share your talent with the 1.800 colleagues of Deloitte The Netherlands various Audit & Assurance departments. Within our teams, cooperation and personal development are key. View all Audit & Assurance vacancies [/vacancies/audit-accountancy] and connect your future to Deloitte. View all Audit & Assurance vacancies [/vacancies/audit-assurance]