Accountancy or M&A? Two young professionals on their first job at RSM

Accountancy or M&A? Two young professionals on their first job at RSM

After studying finance, economics or accountancy, there are many different career paths to choose from. But how do you know which career really suits you?

Two RSM employees share their experiences: Henriëtte Veerman and Daan de Soet talk about why they chose accountancy and M&A, their first few months, and what surprised them when they started.

Why choose accountancy or M&A?

Daan’s path towards accountancy was not entirely conventional. After completing Hotel Management School, he decided to move into finance.

“If you had told me during my first degree that I would eventually work in accountancy, I probably would never have believed you.”

What particularly appealed to him about the accountancy pre-master’s and master’s programme was the opportunity to combine working and studying. “I still wanted to pursue a master’s degree in finance, and what really appealed to me about the accountancy pre-master’s and master’s programme was that it was part-time. This meant I could already start working full-time alongside my studies.” During an open day at Nyenrode, he got in touch with RSM. “After meeting RSM at Nyenrode’s open day, it was clear to me what my next step would be.”

Henriëtte also knew fairly early on during her studies at the University of Amsterdam which direction she wanted to pursue. “During my studies at the UvA, I quickly realised that I found the M&A courses the most enjoyable and interesting.” After working on several cases during her master’s, she decided to explore the field further. “What appeals to me most about M&A is the variety. You are constantly working with different companies, across completely different sectors, each with their own dynamics.” That variety ultimately made M&A the logical choice for her. “No case is ever the same, and every time you have to look at what is happening in the market and which analyses are most important to focus on.”

Why do young professionals choose RSM?

For both of them, it was not only the content of the work that mattered, but also the atmosphere within the organisation. Daan already noticed this during the application process. “During my job shadowing day, they really involved me and introduced me to everyone. That immediately made me feel much more comfortable.” That personal contact ultimately made the difference.

Henriëtte deliberately looked at the opportunities offered by the M&A Traineeship.
“Although I knew I wanted to work in M&A, I did not yet know which area within M&A suited me best.” RSM’s M&A Traineeship therefore appealed to her because it allowed her to rotate across RSM’s different M&A departments. She was also attracted by the combination of a large organisation with relatively small teams.

“You have the benefits and support of a large organisation, while the atmosphere within the team still feels very personal.”

How do young professionals experience their first months at RSM?

Daan’s first working day started in a rather unexpected way: “My first day was actually a team outing with the accountancy team. We went boating on the Vinkeveense Plassen and had a barbecue afterwards.” This allowed him to get to know the team outside of work straight away. What also stood out to him was how open his colleagues were.

“People also came up to me to ask how I was doing and whether they could help me with anything. That is why I have genuinely felt part of the team from the very beginning.”

Henriëtte also had to adjust to the transition from student to young professional at first. “The responsibility that comes with working was probably the biggest difference compared with my student life.” At the same time, she appreciated the balance between independence and collaboration.

“From the very beginning, you are given a lot of responsibility and the time to work things out independently, while colleagues are always willing to think along with you or help when needed.”

Working in accountancy and M&A: what surprised them most?

Henriëtte was particularly surprised by how quickly young professionals are involved in projects. “What surprised me most was that, even as a starter, you are immediately included in meetings, both internally and with clients.”

For Daan, the atmosphere at the office was different from what he had expected.
“People work very hard, which is a good thing, but there is also plenty of time and space to have fun together, which generally makes the office a very enjoyable place to work.” In fact: “Personally, it actually makes me prefer going into the office over working from home.”

Which direction suits you?

According to Henriëtte, working in M&A is a good fit for people who are curious and enjoy continuously learning. “Because M&A is project-based, you are constantly dealing with new companies, situations and challenges.”

Daan takes a broader view of accountancy.
“I think accountancy could genuinely suit almost anyone.” According to him, the team consists of people with many different personalities and backgrounds. “That makes it very enjoyable for me to work there, because every team member brings their own strengths.”

A question for each other
Daan was curious to know what Henriëtte enjoys most about working in M&A.
“That you are constantly diving into a new company or sector,” she explains. “It means you have to immerse yourself in a completely different situation every time, so you are continuously learning.”

Henriëtte, in turn, wondered whether accountancy really involves as much client contact as people think.
“I always thought that in accountancy you would spend a lot of time working in Excel and have relatively little contact with clients,” Daan explains. “But that client contact is actually one of the things that makes the work so enjoyable for me.”

Curious about which direction suits you best?
Discover more about working in accountancy or M&A at RSM via werkenbijrsm.nl or via the Financial Career Platform!