A day at Deloitte in... Risk Advisory

Name: Emily Strang

Role: Cyber Consultant

Department: Risk Advisory

Office: Auckland

Time worked at Deloitte: 7 months

University degree: Bachelor of Commerce (Double majoring in Information Science, and Management) from the University of Otago

6:30am

My Friday begins when I wake up at 6.30am, and am out the door by around 8:05am in my ‘casual Friday’ clothes. I try to make use of all my time, so I take my travel time as an opportunity to catch up on New Zealand and global news, as well as checking out what’s happening in the Cyber space on LinkedIn.

8:30am

I arrive at work and choose a desk. In Risk Advisory we hot desk, where we don’t have an assigned desk and can choose any available desk for the day. This works well because we are client-facing and are often working at the client’s site. I store any client documents in my locker so I don’t have to carry them around with me.

I start work by checking my email and notes for any deadlines and to understand what I need to deliver for the day. In the Cyber team, we are often working on multiple engagements (projects), which means that we have a lot of variety in the work we’re doing.

Today I am working on a Cyber Advisory engagement, where the early stages require us to understand the client’s environment and start reviewing documentation. As a graduate employee, you’re not expected to know everything, so you have lots of opportunity to learn new concepts and skills. I work through the morning, visiting the coffee machine as needed until lunch.

12:00pm

Lunch time is a great chance to catch up with colleagues both in the Cyber team and in the wider Risk Advisory team. Most of us go for lunch between 12:00pm and 1:00pm but you’re free to choose when you take your lunch break. Our Auckland office is right on Queen Street, which is great because there are so many lunch options (including $6 kebabs!), but many of us bring our lunch to work.

Today we are having a Cyber session to discuss what’s going well and what could be improved on in the Cyber team. We have an open and responsive culture, so this feedback is anonymised by the manager and then discussed with Cyber senior management. We also discuss any new developments in the Cyber space, and it’s a good way to catch up on other client engagements

1:00pm

In the afternoon, I continue working on the Cyber Advisory engagement, and I determine what further information we require. I then make some client calls to request this information. I am passionate about recruitment in the Cyber space so as part of Deloitte, I’ve been involved with Summer of Tech, a New Zealand initiative that connects employers with students looking for tech-related internships. Today I am checking that we are all set up for a Summer of Tech event taking place next week, and make sure that those involved are kept up to date.

3:00pm

I have a catch-up with my coach to discuss how I’m doing and if there is anything that I need. Everyone in Risk Advisory has a coach whose role is to help you to plan, develop, and manage your career. My buddy gave me some advice when I first started, which is to “take control of your own career.” I always keep this in the back of my mind during my coaching catch-ups so that I can discuss whether I am on or off-track when it comes to where I want my career to be

4:00pm

Today is the day of the Deloitte Winter Ball, so most of us leave work at around 4pm. We’re able to do this through flexible working arrangements, so we either start earlier or finish a bit later throughout the week so we can leave at a time that suits us. I check LinkedIn and my news apps on the bus ride home to see what’s been happening in the world. I also think about what has gone well today, and if there’s anything I can improve on.

6.30pm

I arrive at the Winter Ball where everyone is dressed to the Monte Carlo theme. It’s a great night, the venue is beautifully decorated, and there are casino tables set up for some healthy competition (with fake chips of course!). It’s a great way to end a Friday, and the perfect way to start the weekend!

For more information on joining Deloitte as a graduate, visit our careers site.