Study Advice

rathmaniacal

Hi,
From my previous posts, some of you will know that I am starting with one of the Big 4 in Spetember as an audit trainee. In the meantime, I have a few months to spare, and I was wodering if there are any skills or areas of knolwedge I should be brushing up on to make it easier to assume my role.
My only knowledge of accounting comes from the DBS down at Smurfit, so I was wondering if it would be worth my while doing some accounting study. If it is worth my while, what areas would be useful to cover, and are there any texts that might be worthwhile? Are there any other things that might matter, such as IT skills and what not? Or should I just relax and enjoy my holiday in the customary manner? Thank you in advance.

Newaglish

I say enjoy the holiday. I'm in one of the Big 4 and they pretty much expect you to know nothing when you start. I'm guessing you're working in audit, and if you've covered it before in college you should be well prepared - alot of people won't have done anything on it. If you haven't done it at all, it might be worthwhile to spend an hour or two reading up on the basics of auditing, controls and controls/substantive testing as that's what you'll be working with the most.

Otherwise, don't bother doing anything! You'll be working enough once you start

djdeclan

Id say if you've got basic accounting knowledge, say to leaving cert hons level you'll be grand, anything more is great - anything less and you may be starting with a bit of a handicap..as newaglish said if you've no prior audit experience in study or practice then brush up on what some of the terms mean and how a basic audit works...other than that get plenty of sleep and go out as much as you can!!!
Do you know what exams you'll have to sit next year?

hotshots85

yeah I'd say enjoy the hol too, no one will expect much of you to start off in first few months and any of the big 4 will have alot of training courses anyway once you start (I'm in big 4 too). Youl pick it up when you get there, and sure anything you try and learn or brush up on before you start probably wont apply very well when your doing something practical at work.

Youl be busy enough for long enough once you've started - just take it easy and enjoy the ehh:rolleyes: summer weve been having

rathmaniacal

Thanks for your advice. I have decided to choose the middle-ground. I will spend most of my time having a laugh, and will set aside an hour or two per day to go through basic leaving cert accounting and do a bit of reading about auditing. In a way, I need the regularity of having something to do because if left to my own devices, I would probably sit on my ass and watch DVDs. Once again, thanks for the feedback.

Theboinkmaster

I just left one of the big 4s for industry and actually last year conducted the 3 week trainee induction program.

DO NOT bother studying or reading it really will be a waste of time - all you really need to know is basic double entry so just enjoy your summer would be my advice