Brian Reff is an internal audit consultant in Protiviti's San Francisco office. We asked him the following questions to get an idea of what his day to day responsibilities are as a internal audit professional. Below you will find his responses and advice if you are thinking about entering into this profession.
1. What was your college and your major?
I attended Santa Clara University in California and graduated in 2008. I received a bachelor’s in economics and a bachelor of science in finance.
2. What courses did you find the most helpful to prepare you for your current position? What advice do you have for students about choosing a major and choosing courses?
Santa Clara stresses that business students be well rounded. The most applicable courses for my position were core classes in the management information systems and accounting fields. My best advice for choosing a major would be choose something that interest you, if you are choosing a major on a basis of jobs, you should reconsider your goals. Choosing courses is a different story, if you want to go into consulting – I can’t stress the importance of being well-rounded. Ensure that you are versed in all aspects of business.
3. What are your primary work activities on a day to day basis?
Most of my projects are Sarbanes Oxley compliance-focused. My day to day activities involve either documentation creation, which is report writing to accurately describe a business’ controls and procedures. Also, I perform control testing, which is a process that verifies that a company’s internal controls are running smoothly and are working toward business process improvement.
4. What industries have you worked in?
- Education
- High Tech, Manufacturing & Distribution
- Professional Services
- Life Sciences
5. What do you enjoy most about your profession?
I love to learn and Protiviti constantly challenges me. I am introduced to new ideas and subjects and that gives me the opportunity to grow. Protiviti also allows me to meet new people and travel – and traveling is not something that many new graduates get the opportunity to do fresh out of college.
One of the drawbacks of consulting, specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area, is the amount of driving I do on a daily basis. Commuting wears on me, especially after a long day of work.
6. What advice would you give to students interested in the internal audit/risk consulting business? Anything you would do different or change? Any success strategies to share?
If you want a shot in the internal audit/risk consulting business, my best advice is to do more than just get good grades. Be able to show potential employers apt social skills and the ability to manage extra curricular activities while maintaining a good GPA.
If I could do something different, I would have interned in the field before I decided to pursue consulting. It is a great idea to get an idea of what you will be doing before you commit to it.
I don’t think there is a magic strategy to get your dream job; my overall advice is to research each job opportunity carefully and pursue what you want actively. Considering today’s job climate I should also add: do not get discouraged by rejection. In the end there is a good deal of luck involved.