Never stop growing series
How Deloitte supports your career development
In the second of our Q&A series on career development at Deloitte, find out how Andrew has completed his CPA while working full-time and how Olivia has adapted to moving abroad for work for the first time and learning a new language.
Tell us something about yourself that is not on your CV.
Andrew: I have a strong passion for aviation and hold a private pilot license in the US.
Olivia: I represented the Great Britain Tennis University Team in China in 2018. I also participated in the World School Athletics Championships in the Czech Republic in 2013 and in China in 2016.
When did you join Deloitte, and what do you do?
Andrew: I joined Deloitte and moved to Switzerland in June 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic. I am a Senior Consultant in the US Tax team, which sits under Global Employer Services (GES) within our Tax & Legal business.
Olivia: I joined Deloitte in September 2020. I am Consultant in the Tax & Legal Department under GES.
Andrew, a Senior Consultant in Tax & Legal
How has Deloitte helped you grow, and what has this meant for your career development?
Andrew: Working at Deloitte has afforded me many opportunities for growth and success. I have been able to make a measurable impact with the work I do, and my team allows me to take full ownership of my career. My work in the complex area of US tax enables me to grow in my technical tax knowledge, as well as to maintain a keen eye for efficiencies and productivity along the way. My experience at Deloitte has helped me to become a better tax professional in my career.
In addition to the daily work of tax compliance and consulting, I have benefited and enjoyed taking part in the various extra curricular activities at Deloitte, such as being on the social committee, being a buddy to new joiners on the team, presenting to the wider tax practice as a representative of the Talent Council, participating in the numerous Tax & Legal events and conferences, celebrating successful tax deadlines with the team, and skiing on various team ski weekends – to name just a few!
Olivia: Apart from what Andrew has listed, my role has also allowed me to develop my German language skills more confidently. The tax consultant training I attend, which are usually held bi-weekly, are all in German. This not only allows me to learn more technical tax knowledge around Swiss tax law but also challenges me to use my German and learn new vocabulary. This is an important skill that I only developed by joining Deloitte.
What has been the most challenging experience for you so far, and what did you learn from it?
Andrew: The most challenging experience for me so far has been studying for my CPA exams while working full-time. This was an extremely difficult period in my career, due to the taxing (no pun intended) effort of both. Overcoming this challenge was a matter of simply doing it. As part of my professional career and development, I was extremely motivated to earn my CPA as quickly as possible without letting it affect my daily work at Deloitte negatively. While time management was a challenge, Deloitte offers study and testing days which I benefited from, and I was able to alleviate the pressure during the peak time crunches. This experience taught me to continue to persevere and to approach things in my life and career with a long-distance marathon intensity.
Olivia: For me, living and working abroad was one of my biggest challenges that I have faced. Before moving to Switzerland, I had never lived in a foreign country before, so this was a new experience especially because I did not know anyone before moving here. I made sure that I integrated into Zurich by joining local sports clubs in the area, getting to know work colleagues, and speaking German daily.
Olivia, a Consultant in Tax & Legal
Who has been the person that has had the biggest influence on your career and why?
Andrew: My dad, Jerry, who has invaluable life and work experience that I have been able to learn from. Having him openly share with me his successes, mistakes, and guiding principles has been extremely formative in my career. I am extremely grateful to have him as a career mentor as well as a father.
Olivia: My older brother, George, has been one of the biggest influences in my career. I have always looked up to him as a role model and as his younger sister, he makes me immensely proud. I went to the same university as him after seeing how much he enjoyed the experience there. Suppose I had not gone to Loughborough University; in that case, I may not have had the opportunity to represent the Great Britain tennis team or even work in Switzerland, since the university advertised the placement role in GES Tax at Deloitte in Zurich.
How can you see yourself continuing to grow and develop at Deloitte?
Andrew: I am keen to learn and grow in US tax in the coming years through exposure to new clients, new tax areas, and continued involvement internally through various Deloitte organisations and initiatives.
Olivia: I would like to continue my development as a tax consultant and improve my technical tax knowledge over the coming years. Before joining Deloitte, I had no experience in Swiss tax law, so it is an interesting topic to explore. I am still learning something new each day, so I look forward to uncovering new topics and understanding different cases.
Stay tuned for more stories of how our people are growing and making their mark at Deloitte with clients and society!