Navid currently works as a Tax Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

He holds a BCom (Commerce) in Accounting and International Business and a Graduate Diploma of Commerce.

1. When you were 7 years old you wanted to be... a Paleontologist

2. Name of the educational institution(s) you graduated from
Auckland University

3. Why did you choose your major(s) or specialisation?
Even though I admit that accounting is not the most exciting of subjects, I believe that having an understanding of accounting is essential in running a business. It is very important and practical and comparatively easier to find a job in.
I did International Business because I was very interested in the subject and also I very much enjoy travel.

4. How did you find your first job?
The Big 4 accounting firms, along with other mid-tier accounting firms came to career days and I applied for my job through the company's website. After passing all the tests and interviews, I was offered a position with them.

5. Describe the interview process you went through to obtain your first position after graduating
The interviews basically consisted of general questions about how you handle/manage work, leadership, work experience, etc.

6. What training was made available to you by your employer in your first role?
We all got a coaching partner, manager and buddy who were always there to help you out, mentor you and teach you new things.  On top of that, I received a lot of technical training once every couple of weeks.

7. Describe some of the roles you have held since your graduate level position
I have been working as a Tax Consultant for just over a year and my team is called "Mergers & Acquisitions". My role mostly comprises of the following 3 categories:

1. Consulting: Research/ Advice/ Opinions for clients. A background in law is helpful, though not necessary.

2. Compliance: Income tax returns, Provisional tax and other mostly number related work.

3. Due Diligences: Preparing reports in relation to the sale/ merging/ acquisition of companies and their tax position and possible tax liabilities.

8. Have you found your degree useful in your working career? Why (or why not)?
Yes, knowledge of accounting has been very useful (and essential!) in my career so far.

9. What are your plans for the next 5 years?
I hope to put some of the things I learnt from studying International Business into practice. Possibly by starting my own business.

10. What advice would you give an upcoming graduate looking to kick off a successful career?
Starting looking for jobs while studying - don't wait till you graduate.  I signed my contract nearly a year before I started working.

Look around at all the available firms, choose the ones you like and spend some time researching them. Put some effort into preparing your CV. If you are not going to give some time and attention to your CV, the HR manager will not either. They have hundreds if not thousands of CVs to go through. Ask yourself, what makes you different from the other 1000 applicants?  Make this show through your CV.

Also, work experience is very important. Good grades are always a plus, but from my experience, employers prefer a student with lots of work experience and a B grade average, over a student who has never worked before but has an A grade average.