Working as an auditor, I have found great value in being humble. When I encounter new areas to audit, being humble helps me not to give up, but persistently tackle the problems at hand. By humbly going back to basics and reading as much as necessary to understand complicated subjects, I was able to lead an audit in market risk only a few months after I had started as a new auditor.
Being humble also helps stakeholders understand that I am on their side – to support what they do, not to penalise them. If I am on their side, then it means they are on my side – and maintaining good relationships with stakeholders is always a good thing.
If you like learning and are curious about new things, auditing is a great career
As an internal auditor for SCB Korea, my main area of auditing is market risk and finance, as well as conducting branch audits. I think learning is a big part of doing the job as an internal auditor. It requires two streams of knowledge: knowledge about how to perform an audit and knowledge about the area to be audited, which is what I both like and find challenging.
Having to learn new areas and new subject matters helps me expand my expertise and makes the job rewarding. But I must admit, it is sometimes challenging to learn something new so frequently, especially when the new area is complex and requires much effort. That said, if you like learning and are curious about new things, auditing is a great career path for you.
I first encountered accounting in college when I was an exchange student in the US. The courses were taught in smaller classes, under 30 students, and the professor assigned a tutor to help students with their work. Having tutoring sessions outside the class and completing weekly assignments, though sometimes challenging, helped me get a firm foundation in accounting.
After college, I joined Standard Chartered Bank as a finance graduate. There I experienced real-world finance and accounting, which motivated me to accomplish more in the field and study for the ACCA exams. I was working at the same time and was very lucky that SCB supported me. I passed all the exams in three years.
Holding on to the past and not embracing change will stop us from going forward
I believe the accounting profession is inextricably intertwined with the growth and development of industries. And with changes in industries happening so fast, the key is to learn and adapt, and be agile. Take the arrival of OpenAI – utilising this new technology to automate time-consuming manual tasks gives us room to add more value to what we do, providing our clients with deeper insights.
The biggest challenge to the profession is new and evolving technologies. Staying on top of everything may not be possible, but understanding and embracing change is something we all can do. The successes and accomplishments of the past have led us to where we are now, but holding on to the past and not embracing change will stop us from going forward.
Outside of work, I like to go camping with my husband to the suburban areas of Seoul. Being in nature and away from work helps me recharge myself. I also take my dog, Marc. Watching him play around is great fun.
