I first heard about BDO when I attended a CA ANZ Employment Evening. I was not really interested in looking for a new job at that time, as I already had a stable position at a local accounting firm, working with great colleagues and very supportive employer. However then I met Kim O'Brien - a Graduate in BDO Perth’s Audit team. He shared his experience and talked passionately about the culture at BDO and the emphasis on employee’s growth and development which appealed to me. It got me curious, so I decided to step out of my comfort zone, challenge myself and apply.

I am now experiencing first-hand the benefits of being a BDO employee and BDO has instantly become my second home.

There have been many highlights in my career at BDO so far, and my favourites include:

• BDO's Social Club: The social club has given me the opportunity to get to know more people from other divisions and start building relationships with them.
• Graduate Team Building Event: This was one of the highlights of my experience as a graduate. We had the chance to play basketball and have breakfast with some of the Perth Wildcats players and their coach.  
• Cross Service Line Mentoring Program: This program proves how passionate the BDO Partners are in supporting and developing their people. This is in addition to the support the service line managers and directors give to ensure we are on track in achieving our short-term and long-term goals.
• BWell Program: BWell is a program that supports our wellbeing. One of my favourite initiatives was the recently organised free boxing classes.

I chose to work in Business Services as I have always been passionate about accounting and taxation. Since high school I have directed my career pathway towards these disciplines. Also, Business Services is a bigger version of the work experience I did while I was at university which I really enjoyed. Hence, it was not a difficult decision for me to choose Business Services.

My day-to-day work involves preparing income tax returns, financial statements, and business activity statements for different types of entities including Self-Managed Superannuation Funds. However, the process is more than just the debits and credits and punching through income and expenses the clients have derived and incurred throughout the year. It challenges you to think ahead, identify and resolve various tax issues with your manager or director that the clients have encountered or may encounter. There is never a dull moment, just opportunities to learn something new every day.

If someone were to ask what motivates me at work, I would say the people around me. They go the extra mile to help me with work and non-work related matters. I can’t thank them enough for sharing their knowledge with me and for the support, guidance, and feedback I receive from them.

Overall, my graduate experience at BDO has been a very positive one. It was a bit daunting at the start, but I am so glad I made the decision to apply at BDO.