Updating Results

Thomas Nguyen

6.00 AM

My alarm goes off - I am contemplating whether to skip the gym but manage to get up and start the day off with an early morning session. 

8.45 AM

I arrive at the client site. In consulting, we require close interaction with our clients and therefore, many engagements are generally based at the client site. Engagements vary in length and team size, depending on the nature of the project and expertise required. My team has people from a diverse skill-set, each one of us bringing something unique to the table to better assist our client. On this engagement, I am joined with 9 other PwC team members from the Forensics team - yes we do have a blast! 

I set up my workspace, check any meeting invites, respond to emails and plan out the work I have to do for the day. Then, I make my way downstairs to grab coffee with my colleagues. As we’ve been at this site for a while now, we’ve explored all the new coffee stores at this point!

PwC Graduate - Coffee cups

9.00 AM

The day begins. My team sits in the Risk Consulting division and we specialise in investigations and fraud control, Anti-money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) and forensic accounting. For this engagement, we are conducting a money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) enterprise wide risk assessment (EWRA) for the client. This will help the client to identify key ML/TF risks, inform them on appropriate business and risk decisions, and allow them to focus resources on areas with the highest risk exposure. 

After shooting off a few emails (involving replying to requests or chasing up on actions required from the client) I head over to check in with my Senior Manager and Director.

9.30 AM

My team and I set out an action plan for the day and share any new insights and developments that we need to consider. I head back to my desk and begin my work. Today, I am working on excel and assessing the client’s control coverage.

PwC Graduate - Male graduate setting up action plan with his team

10.30 AM

We have a stand-up meeting with our project delivery team (consisting of the PwC engagement team and the client’s Financial Crime and Compliance team). We provide updates on our progress on one of the deliverables, the successes to date, problems that require solving and key delays which may have arisen. We work together with the client to better understand their systems and challenges, and this stand-up meeting helps us work collaboratively and holistically understand how we can problem-solve. 

11.00 AM

I continue on with my work. My Senior Manager asks me to help her pull a few slides together for the upcoming working group. This forum consists of our PwC engagement team and the Financial Crime Compliance advisory team. We use this forum to receive some feedback on the things the team is working on. We thrive on collaboration to be able to do meaningful work, think creatively and innovate. I’m looking forward to this forum to see how we bring ideas to life and collaborate to create change.

12.00 PM

It’s lunchtime! I usually bring my own lunch, but today I decided to enjoy a spicy chicken burrito bowl with my colleagues.

1.00 PM

My Director offers to buy coffee for the team. My second coffee of the day - tick! After a short catch up with the team to reconfirm our priorities for the remainder of the day and make sure we are focused on our core area of expertise, we all head back to our desks to continue our work.

2.00 PM

I attend an internal meeting with my Senior Manager and Senior Associate. We update on our progress with the controls coverage assessment and highlight the issues we are running into. Check-ins like this ensure we are on the right track and can access any support as needed. 

PwC Graduate - Male graduate meeting with his team

3.00 PM

The working group has started, my Senior Manager and Director speak about our progression on assessing the client’s control environment and the logistics of the upcoming workshops. We receive some valuable insights from the Financial Crime Compliance advisory team which we will implement into our deliverable.

5.00 PM

I begin to wrap up my work and catch up with my Senior Manager before she leaves for the day. She gives me some feedback on my performance in client meetings and the work I’m completing. This helps me prioritise for the next day rather than start on a blank slate. I pack up and make my way to the train station for the commute home.

6.30 PM

It’s time to unwind and rest. I get home, take a shower, and eat dinner with my family. I generally struggle to decide between watching TV or playing some video games with my work colleagues and friends.

10.00 PM

I pack my lunch for tomorrow and hop into bed to do a bit of Youtubing.

10.30 PM

I slowly start to fall asleep at this time. As PwC encourages flexible working, I’ll be leaving work early tomorrow to go to my boxing class in the evening. As a result, I’ll be going in a bit earlier to make up for it!