Ciara Jordan

NAME Ciara Jordan
EMPLOYER PricewaterhouseCoopers
JOB Audit associate
DEGREE Trinity College, Dublin, early and modern Irish (2005)

My dad and sister both work in finance and I knew I wanted to do the same. I chose to work in audit as once I have my ACA qualification there are lots of different directions I could head off in. It’s giving me the chance to see all kinds of businesses and I’m constantly learning.

The Channel Islands

My sister works in the Channel Islands and told me that it was a great place to train – in smaller offices you get more responsibility at an earlier stage and get to know your colleagues quickly, including the managers.
I work just as hard as I would do anywhere else but I enjoy the buzz. There’s also no long commute to work – I can walk to the office in ten or fifteen minutes. In summer, four days out of five we’ll head to the beach after work or go round to someone’s house for a barbeque – it’s a lot warmer here than in Ireland!

My job

My job involves heading out in teams of three or four to audit clients, requesting financial statements and checking every figure, plus making sure that organisations are complying with all relevant standards. I deal with a variety of businesses, including private equity houses, funds, and trusts, and tend to work with about 12 to 14 different clients a year. I’m in my second year and my role tends to vary: if I’m on a job with an executive and a third year I’ll have responsibility for certain areas of the audit; if I’m out on my own I’ll be responsible for the job as a whole.

Advice

My advice to students considering moving to the Channel Islands is to give it a go. Be warned that it isn’t London, Dublin or New York – shops shut at 6.00 pm and are closed on Sundays – but the way of life here in Jersey is very laid back.