Campus

My work involves real estate, machinery and equipment valuation, typically for financial or Tax reporting for the U.S. firm. It's impossible to get bored, as different projects generally last from three weeks to several months. My day involves gathering and researching information, analyzing the data and documenting the conclusions. I'm mostly in the Los Angeles office, but also frequently in San Diego, where the majority of the real estate valuation group is based. I also have the opportunity to visit client sites to do inspections and conduct interviews.

Career history in a minute?

After college I worked for a year and a half at a small middle-market investment bank, performing analyses and valuations in non-residential construction. I was attracted by the growth potential and interesting work opportunities at KPMG. Since being here I've had the opportunity to focus on three of our department's four disciplines, which has enabled me to gain a broad skill set. Now I'm on a Tax Trek.

What's a Tax Trek?

It's a short developmental assignment within the Tax practice, to help further an individual’s understanding of working internationally - a three month exchange program where participants swap between member firms. So I'm in Buenos Aires for three months, adding to my knowledge of how different countries operate.

How has the professional support been?

I have been fortunate to work with people who genuinely care about me as a person and want to see me succeed as a professional. I have had several mentors who have encouraged me to pursue my goals, take classes to enhance my skills and advised me when appropriate.

What does working with our firms' clients teach you?

For me, I've learned that if you first relate to them as people, the professional interaction is a lot easier. For example, interviewing members of the management team when a hotel group was changing ownership, I realized many people were afraid they'd lose their jobs, and were naturally hesitant to provide information. Connecting with them on a personal level, I was able to show they had no reason to distrust me, and I was able to get the information I needed. Many of these people were able to stay with the hotels through the management transition, and I know if I ever need general hotel industry information, I have some strong contacts.

What about community work with colleagues?

In Los Angeles, we organized an event at a local shelter for homeless teenagers, with strong support from our leadership. It gave our group a chance to bond outside the office and do something that made everyone feel good - because the results of our efforts were immediately visible and clearly appreciated. After our day's work, the shelter was clean, had new plants in its garden, and was left with a full food cupboard from the generous donations of people at KPMG in the U.S..