At BDO, no matter what level they’re at, all our people are supported to produce the highest quality work, setting the standard in the industry. We spoke to Kelly Luo, a Tax grad in BDO Auckland, to find out more about how she’s been trusted to take the lead on her work and how BDO has supported her through training and mentorship.
Kelly Luo, Tax Graduate, BDO Auckland
How does BDO support you to produce high quality work?
I’m lucky to work in a very supportive team – my Managers and Partners trust me to produce high quality work and are very open to giving feedback and taking the time to have sit down conversations. This has helped me a lot in being confident and proud of the work that I do :)
Another aspect that’s been really helpful has been the Partners’ open-door policies - This means that I’m able to walk freely into their offices to ask questions and find guidance on tasks I’m working on. These conversations have taught me heaps, especially in terms of how to apply tax in a variety of contexts as well as understanding its wider applications to client businesses.
What training are you offered?
We get a buddy as soon as we start as a grad, who helps navigate us through everything. This helped me get used to working full time – not just with the technicalities of being a tax grad but also how to navigate through various work situations as well as writing great client emails – all the stuff that’s a really important part of your job but you don’t necessarily know how to do when you’re only just out of university!
In the field of tax, legislation is changing all the time, so every two weeks we often have a tax training which dives deep into existing laws or new legislative changes. We take it in turn to lead these sessions, which is great because it means we get to do a lot of digging and research, while also sharpening our presentation skills.
We also have an annual tax conference, where BDO tax teams from all over New Zealand and often times Australia meet up and discuss relevant tax issues. Last year this conference was held in Queenstown and it was super exciting and a very eye-opening experience. It was especially beneficial as it gave me so much insight on the environment that surrounds tax internationally and a chance to learn from established professionals in the field.
How closely do you get to work with clients?
BDO really encourages us to get stuck in and be hands on with the clients from the start. As a grad in the tax team, I’ve had the opportunity to attend client meetings and work on tax consulting projects in addition to our other compliance work. This is great because it grounds what we’ve learnt at university in the real world and gets us talking to clients from early on.
Be your best at BDO
At BDO, you can be your best, whatever that may look like. We offer a unique and supportive culture that puts people first – whether that’s professional development, personal fulfilment or work-life balance that ensures you get access to Partners and clients as soon as you enter our doors. Learn more and apply for one of our graduate career roles today.