NAME: Meaghan Vanderlinden

SCHOOL: University of Victoria

COMPANY: KPMG

AGE: 25

DESIGNATION:Working towards CA

What area of accounting are you focusing on and why did you choose this designation?

I’m focusing on Audit, on specifically the real estate sector. I chose the CA because it’s internationally recognized across the world, and therefore allows for global mobility. And right now in KPMG there are a bunch of individuals who are traveling and working in Australia and Europe, so having that opportunity is really good.

What initially inspired you to take this path?

My inspiration was my mom. She’s had the ability to work in public practice and government. She’s started her own consulting business, and now she’s teaching at post-secondary institutions. So seeing the flexibility in the jobs that she has had has definitely inspired me to become an accountant and show me that there are a number of opportunities going forward.

Why do you think the accounting profession is important?

I think [accounting’s] important because it provides standards and guidelines to show how companies should operate. And we’re able to help businesses and organizations plan and control their finances, which allow businesses to function and operate year over year.

So far, what has been the most excited aspect of your job?

I would say meeting new clients, being able to work on a number of different companies, and having the opportunity to travel to different locations for these clients. I’ve been able to travel to Boston, LA, Atlanta, Toronto, and even Mexico for a client, which was kind of nice. So I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with a bunch of professionals in top organizations, so it’s been a great learning experience.

What’s the most challenging part of the job?

I would say the most challenging part of the job is multitasking for sure. The job requires a lot of time management skills, whether it’s juggling different clients or staff members, there’s always different things going on. So you need to learn how to prioritize items, which initially is really hard to do so it takes a lot of time and practice.

Was there a shock when you realized accounting wasn’t all number crunching?

There wasn’t really a shock when I came in but it definitely was a surprise.

When you look back to your undergrad years, is there anything you think you could have done differently? Anything you should’ve done more of?

Honestly I don’t think so. I took the right accounting classes I needed and I had all the prerequisites for the designation I had chosen, and did it in a time that I wanted to. But I definitely did have a plan, like going to university to make sure I did that. If I didn’t have a plan in place, I probably would have changed things, but it’s definitely a good idea to lay out where you want to be and how to get there, and I think that’s what helped me.

Where would you ultimately like to go with this career?

There so many opportunities out there. I’m just taking it one day at a time and seeing where I end up.

If you could give one piece of advice to an undergrad wanting to go into accounting, what would that be?

I would probably say find a mentor. Mentors are a good thing to have because they can answer a lot of questions you might have. They can clarify any concerns you’d have along the way and determine if it’s accounting you want to do in the first place.