A Day in the Life at Calibre CPA Group-
Grace McDonald, Staff Auditor
What is your title? Describe what you do.
I am a staff auditor that started in September of 2020. Since starting, I have mostly done a lot of learning. Currently, I usually assist in basic testing of the financials, analytics and reconciliations.
Why did you get into the accounting/audit industry?
I took an accounting course in high school and weirdly enough, really enjoyed it, continued to pursue it in college. After interning with Calibre, I realized I really enjoyed working in the smaller scene of accounting that allowed me to build relationships with my coworkers and our clients.
What are three things you do every day? Do you have any morning “rituals”?
One morning ritual I have is my abbreviated news updates. I have a couple of new subscriptions that I go through and also listen to a couple short news podcasts.
I also run almost every day. Right now, I have the opportunity to do so on my lunch break since we are mostly working from home, but otherwise I’ll run or do some other form of exercise in the evening.
Another thing I actively try to do every day is to learn something new. I enjoy reading, watching documentaries and playing Jeopardy with my family. All of which, I usually take away some new piece of knowledge with.
What are the most challenging and rewarding parts of your job?
Right now, the biggest challenge is just learning in a remote landscape. I think there is a lot of value learning amongst people where you can easily ask questions or be shown something and get real-time feedback. This said, a lot of my co-workers have gone the extra mile to help assist me in navigating this strange COVID landscape and making their help and guidance accessible to me which I appreciate.
I think the most rewarding thing right now is when something clicks for me and I’m able to apply the knowledge I had from schooling to the work that I’m doing. I’m sure as we become more able to have contact with clients though, I’ll find great joy in helping them and building those professional relationships.
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a role like yours? Are there specific character traits or skills/certifications they should possess?
I would tell someone coming into my role to be patient and ask as many questions as possible early on. Sometimes the work can be overwhelming but take everything as a learning opportunity. I would also tell someone coming in to make sure they’re very comfortable with excel and begin studying for their CPA exams as early as possible.
What makes Calibre CPA Group different than your previous workplaces?
Everyone has been super helpful and wants to see you succeed. While it’s been hard navigating the remote work landscape, as I previously mentioned, my coworkers have worked really hard to create opportunities to still build relationships and create an environment that fosters teamwork and comradery.
