Career Stories

Are you good with numbers? Get Tom's insights on accountancy

Tom Beswick, Director, Ingham Mora Chartered Accountants
 
What did you want to be when you were 16?
I wasn't 100% sure but thought I wanted to be in business and possibly an Accountant

What did you end up doing when you left school?
7 weeks in the army and then onto Waikato University
 
Describe a day in your life at work:
Lots of variation, reviewing financial statements and tax returns, meeting clients, catching up with people for coffee to build relationships and networks, writing articles, managing staff, various phone calls and emails with client advice
 
Why do you love your job/career?
Helping educate clients better about their business and their finances, meeting lots of people with varied backgrounds, flexibility in when and where I work
 
How did you get into your career?
I got a full time accounting job while looking for a summer job, after a year of uni and then studied part time for a year before going back to uni full time. Not as much planning went into it as there should have been!
 
What qualifications did you study?
Bachelor of Management Studies (Waikato), Chartered Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst
 
Do you have any advice for getting into your sector?
Do well in school/uni. The best grades do help you get through the door. Showing confidence and a clear desire to learn helps. Sometimes getting grad positions can be hard so start applying early. Networking is always valuable - if you can get to know some of the current young people in the firm that can help greatly when positions open up (and they will, as young people don’t always stay put).
 
What do you wish you had done differently?
Networks and relationships. I was very insular at uni and didn’t spend time building connections and friendships – I just wanted to get in and get out. That attitude maybe slowed down my trajectory for a while until I realized the value of networks. I should have paid more attention to people who said the friends and networks you build at uni can stay with you for your lifetime. 
 
What would you say to your teenage self about defining your future?
Be confident and meet people. Learn how to handle networking situations earlier in life. Ultimately it is who you know more then it is what you know.