Chartered Accountant: Geoff Rooney

Geoff Rooney has big plans for next year.

The senior accountant who works for professional services firm, Ernst & Young, recently completed the Chartered Accountants Program and now has the qualifications to help him make a move overseas.

“The Institute [of Chartered Accountants in Australia] is a member of the Global Accounting Alliance, which means the qualification and membership is recognised across the world so it’s great when it comes to travelling and working,” Mr Rooney said.

“My firm also sponsors a three, six or twelve month career break where they hold your job open for you.

“So I’m thinking of trying to arrange a transition with the firm over to the UK to work for 18 months, followed by a three month career break as a holiday at the end,” he explained.

Becoming an accountant was not necessarily the 25-year-old’s career choice at school.

While he enjoyed business studies it wasn’t until he went to Wollongong University to study commerce, majoring in accounting and finance, that he made the decision to pursue a career in the profession.

“Firstly, accounting was the subject I was best at and secondly, I was told by a lot of different people that if you want to work in the business world it’s key that you understand accounting and how it works.”

Once he had made the decision Mr Rooney was proactive about getting his career started.

While at university he looked into what subjects he would need to study to undertake the Chartered Accountants Program.

“If you don’t have the accounting qualifications there is another pathway [to qualify for the Program], which involves doing a bridging course and an accounting diploma.

“However, if you want to start as soon as you graduate you need to have chosen the right electives,” he explained.

Mr Rooney also worked with the university’s career service to find out what graduate accounting opportunities were available and applied to a wide range of employers including Ernst & Young.

The professional services firm shortlisted him and Mr Rooney was invited to attend an interview and assessment day in Sydney.

“I was interviewed by a partner and I think what they wanted to hear was that I could communicate and was well rounded. I mean it’s great to have good uni marks but it’s also important to have other skills that might come from playing with a team for example, such as commitment and leadership,” he said.

Mr Rooney said standing out at the group assessment was also key to the selection process

“You shouldn’t sit there and do nothing but you shouldn’t dominate either,” he said.

“Respect people’s views, don’t get distracted by coming up with the model answer, it’s about working together to come up with the group consensus on an answer.”

After completing his university finals in 2005 Mr Rooney was offered summer vacation work with the firm before being offered a full-time graduate position.

At that stage he also commenced the Chartered Accountants Program.

“To become a member you have to study five accounting subjects part-time while you are working,” Mr Rooney said.

“Each subject takes three to four months and includes an assignment component and an exam.

“The cost per subject is $1092 and depending on your employer they may pay all or part of it. If you fail a subject you usually have to pay for the resit,” he explained.

Doing the five subjects back to back took Mr Rooney 18 months he then also had to complete three years of full time supervised experience.

“You are allowed to choose any mentor who is a Chartered Accountant [to supervise] so I picked one of the senior managers to do that.”

“It’s good to make sure you choose someone who you can communicate comfortably with and is available,” he advised.

Having now completed the Program Mr Rooney is looking forward to becoming a fully fledged member of the Institute.

“The qualification is highly regarded globally and I have access to continued learning.

“The Institute also provides great networking opportunities that can really benefit your career,” he said.