What's your job about?

I am a graduate auditor at PKF Melbourne, part of the global PKF International network of accounting firms. As a member of the audit team, I conduct both external and internal audits across diverse industries. My responsibilities include verifying critical financial elements such as bank reconciliations for major corporations, validating payroll systems for large employee bases, and providing assurance services for ASX-listed companies. This work helps deliver reliable financial information to public investors and government regulatory bodies.

My role involves detailed examination of financial statements and supporting documentation, ensuring transparency and accuracy in financial reporting. Working with PKF, one of the leading international accountancy networks, allows me to gain exposure to various business sectors while maintaining high professional standards in accordance with international auditing frameworks.

What's your background?

My journey bridges East and West in a unique way. Born and raised in Beijing, I was immersed in American-style education from kindergarten onwards, where I received my English name Peter. My early years in military boarding school instilled in me a strong sense of discipline and responsibility that continues to shape my approach to life.

My global perspective was shaped by transformative experiences abroad. At 14, I studied in the Philippines with my father, where friendships helped develop my outgoing personality and sense of humor. A high school exchange program took me to the UK and Europe, opening my eyes to diverse cultures and sparking a passion for international connection.

After completing my VCE in the Philippines, I chose Melbourne as my next destination. Over six years, this multicultural hub has become my home, offering rich experiences and connections. My interdisciplinary education spanning Accounting, Finance, Corporate Law, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Fintech has led to a diverse career path. I've gained valuable experience across investment banking, quantitative finance, and software engineering before finding my current role in auditing.

This unique background - combining Chinese roots, international education, and cross-cultural experiences - has shaped my adaptable and multilayered professional identity.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Absolutely yes, this line of work requires more than a piece of certification yet more about challenging your own comfortable zone. There are no two audit jobs the same, one day you may test the tangible asset of a large company, the next you could be assessing the fairness of contract with a not-for-profit organisation. As an independent third party, you need to have excellent time management skills to verify complex information with no assumptions yet budgeted hours. If you grow up to question the way things are and interested in how businesses operate differently in industries and geographics, this is something you would want to do!

What's the coolest thing about your job?

I love the challenge and interesting opportunities in learning knowledges and characteristics that are specific to certain industries. Learning how a salesman negotiated the sponsorship rights of a sports team, how a retail manager prevents stocks being stolen, how an IT infrastructure engineer prevents hacker from stealing financial information. When I had that feeling “oh, no wonder xxx would do this instead of that”, I know I am on the right track of learning enough context to make the right judgements.

What are the limitations of your job?

As an auditor, the level of knowledge you must have both financially and real-world industrial knowledge. It is not easy to attain competency in your work when you just started, the learning curve is quite steep even for someone with quick learning skills. It will be your responsibility to manage the time you utilise to learn and the time to do actual works. It is inevitable to work overtime when the client is expecting to handover your information assurance on a specific date.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

• The first advice would be giving yourself enough space when needed, there should be a balance between chasing high academic score and exploring what you want to do in your life.
• The second advice would be socialising with strangers, even a stranger in a bar will have a different perspective of your challenge.
• The last advice will be cherish ever moment with your loved ones, as someone who have been travelling abroad alone over a decade, sometime it’s easy to forget how much happiness and mental healing bares in a family reunion.