So tell us, who are you?
‘My name is Sam Dijkshoorn and I have been working in the assurance practice at PwC for four years. Together with my colleagues, I am responsible for auditing the financial statements of various clients. In addition, I am part of the Social Board and the recruitment team, and recently became a Digital Accelerator. This role involves thinking of ways to effectively deploy digital tools that help to improve the process for auditing financial statements. In my spare time, I volunteer at AZ and occasionally DJ in clubs or at festivals. You can regularly find me on the tennis court.’
‘I really like working for a young organisation. The team for each engagement has a different composition. And a lot of social activities are also organised.’
Meet Sam. A bridge-builder, accountant, innovator, DJ and solver at PwC Netherlands.
How did you end up at PwC and what exactly do you do?
I took part in one of PwC's recruitment events when doing my bachelor’s degree in economics & Business Administration. This gave me an informal introduction to PwC and the people who work here. After this event, I was given the opportunity to write both my bachelor’s thesis and my master’s thesis at PwC. In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to really learn about the company. Because my internship went really well and I immediately felt at home at PwC. I joined the traineeship in our assurance practice once my internship ended: The Associate Academy (now One Assurance Academy).’
‘I encounter many different types of clients and topics. This allows me to grow quickly and develop myself in various ways.’
What is your (academic) background?
‘I did a bachelor’s degree in economics & Business administration at the University of Amsterdam. I then also completed my master’s degree at the same university.’
What does your working day generally look like?
‘There is no such thing as a typical working day at PwC. Each employee is different: on Monday I work from home, on Tuesday and Wednesday I work at the client, on Thursday I work in our office, and Friday I work part-time. In addition, I am involved in activities for a different client every few weeks. The different environments, clients and colleagues make my job so varied. My work involves having conversations with clients, discussing with my teams, coaching colleagues, and checking financial statements.’
What do you like about your job?
‘I encounter many different types of clients and topics. This allows me to grow quickly and develop myself in various ways. In addition, there are countless possibilities at PwC. People listen to what you enjoy and what you are interested in. A good example of this is me becoming Digital Accelerator last year. Furthermore, my work at PwC is very flexible, which allows me to spend enough time doing things that I enjoy when I am not working. I really like working for a young organisation. The team for each engagement has a different composition. And a lot of social activities are also organised: such as the gala, winter sports and the regular get-togethers. This allows me to meet colleagues with diverse backgrounds. Several colleagues have become good friends in the meantime!’
Tell us something about culture at PwC
‘The culture at PwC really suits me. I feel at home when I am in the office, because there is an informal atmosphere and the organisation is not very hierarchical. From associate to partner: everyone is open to giving you a helping hand or having a chat. In addition, there are no fixed workstations. This means you mix with different colleagues every day and get to know many new people. I normally sit with my own team, but also regularly arrange to sit with colleagues who I know.’
‘My work at PwC is very flexible, which allows me to spend enough time doing things that I enjoy when I am not working.’
What is still left on your bucket list?
‘One of the things still on my bucket list involves earning my title as chartered accountant (RA). I have completed the theoretical part of my studies for chartered accountant in the meantime and have started the final year of my practical studies. I am also really looking forward to the Audit Course that will be taking place in December. This an annual event where Msc Accountancy students get the opportunity to discover the Accountancy sector and to travel abroad. This year, I will be travelling as supervisor. If you are interested in Accountancy at PwC, then this is a must!’
Which project makes you proud?
‘Besides working as an accountant, I am also part of the Social Board. The Social Board organises social activities for our accountancy colleagues to help promote unity within the department. I am proud that, over the past year, our team was able to organise many cosy get-togethers and several sporting activities. For example, we organised a padel tournament.’
What do you think of the work-life balance at PwC?
‘There is a lot of flexibility at PwC. I have a reasonable amount of freedom when shaping my working day, if I do this in consultation with my teams. I sometimes work from home, while at other times I go to the office or visit a client. I regularly spend an hour playing tennis with my sister in the morning and make up for the lost hours later in the evening. This means I have a good work-life balance. I work 36 hours a week because I have a busy social, sporting and musical life away from work. This gives me the chance to visit AZ on a Thursday evening, and to spend a little bit of extra time preparing my DJ set.’
What would you like to say to your future colleagues?
‘Would you like to know whether PwC suits you? Write your thesis at PwC and certainly register for the Audit Course. Hopefully, I will see you there!’
