Position profile: analyst
Isaac Hinton A Fin, Senior Analyst, Deloitte Corporate Finance
Industry sector: investment analysts, research analysts and economists
How did you get to where you are today?
After I completed school I didn’t really have a clear career in mind, so I took a job in insurance at an international insurer. While this job was not vital in obtaining my current employment, it assisted me in developing the level of maturity required in the world of finance and business and provided me with greater guidance of what I wanted to do in my future career.
After getting some insight into the world of business and finance, I decided that I would return to my existing career plan and undertook a university degree in Business and Economics from Flinders University. As part of this I participated in an exchange program to England and studied at the University of London for six months. After my exchange I also travelled through Europe and North America for six months. This provided me with further ‘life’ experience which is also important in any career.
Upon my return to Adelaide, I had the choice of completing an honours year or beginning a master's degree in Commerce, majoring in Applied Finance. I chose the latter and also gained employment with the university as a casual tutor and researcher. I believe this course and my research experience was very important in obtaining my current position.
Currently, I am a Senior Analyst in Deloitte Corporate Finance as part of the company’s valuations group. I have been in my current role for almost two years and thoroughly enjoy the challenge of working in a small team of two and a greater corporate finance team of approximately 20.
What does a typical day involve for you?
My main daily tasks are focussed around the research, analysis and report writing of our current valuation projects.
Time throughout the day time is taken up sending or responding to emails from the previous day or emails received overnight. Half an hour of the day is usually taken up reading the Australian Financial Review or other news bulletins provided by email. This is particularly important in order to keep up with recent financial trends and to seek future opportunities, which I flag with my manager.
It is also my responsibility to report to the head of valuations in Adelaide on the current status of valuations, outstanding information required or any issues that I have uncovered that may require his attention.
What interpersonal skills are essential for your role?
It is very important to communicate in an open and honest way with your colleagues. Sometimes the most abstract thoughts can provide a useful insight into a current project. Confidence and conviction provide others with a sense of confidence in your ability.
It is also important to follow up on questions, tasks or requests from colleagues and clients.
It also doesn’t hurt to smile every once in awhile and say hi to people!
What sort of person is good in this role and type of organisation?
This sort of role is particularly suited to people with strong technical skills in valuation theory and financial principles. You need to have the ability to communicate these effectively to clients and colleagues. It is important to understand different business operations and valuation implications and you are likely to be working on a number of valuations at any one time. People who are patient in constructing valuation models, researching various industries and working with computers are particularly suited to this role.
At Deloitte, people who are willing to exceed the expectations of clients on a consistent basis and are willing to put in hours over and above what is normally required have historically been more successful. Taking responsibility for work and regularly looking for new leadership opportunities can provide employees with greater chances for internal recognition and promotion.
What do you find the most rewarding about your current role?
The ability to provide advice and maximise the value to clients is perhaps the most rewarding part of my current role. I also feel rewarded when I receive recognition from my peers and managers for significantly exceeding expectations. This reflects the great culture at Deloitte and the terrific camaraderie that we share.
The ability to develop my skills in Adelaide and not having to move to the eastern seaboard is also a rewarding benefit. At the completion of my studies, I had prematurely resigned myself to the fact that I would have to leave my family and friends in order to gain the experience I required.
What do most people find challenging/difficult about a role like this?
The constant learning required to understand the technical challenges that valuations present is perhaps the most difficult part of my role. Despite being in the role for a relatively short period of time, I still believe that I have a considerable amount of technical knowledge to obtain.
Sometime the expectations and timeframes set by clients can be unrealistic and difficult to meet. It is challenging to consistently manage client expectations and to provide clients with regular feedback with regards to the status of a particular project.
What were you looking for in an employer when took your current role?
To be presented with a clear and realistic career progression path, right from a graduate to a management role, was important to me. It was also important to have access to a large internal network for the purposes of technical learning and personal development. I believe the infrastructure that a large company provides is one of the biggest benefits in joining a large multinational organisation.
What types of benefits are essential to attract the best people?
A strong salary package, particularly in the financial industry, will always be a significant benefit to prospective employees and the ability to work on larger/higher profile projects is also seen as an added incentive for someone who has a desire to climb the corporate ladder.
Employers should also provide the opportunity, should employees wish to take it, to participate in interstate or international transfers for a period of time in order to accommodate the desire of many young people have to travel and develop in their respective careers.
What other jobs and career paths could you consider in the future?
I would always consider a career away from a computer screen, where I can have 100 per cent interpersonal interaction with people, where I consider my greatest strength lies. A position which puts me in front of people and customers in account management or business development would be a role I will consider taking in the future.
Given my corporate finance experience, I would also consider a role in commerce, working in an internal merger and acquisition team.
How do you keep up to date?
I take the time out of every day to read the Australian Financial Review or other business journals that I am subscribed to, which keep up to speed with the latest financial developments. I also keep in touch with my small but specialised network of other finance professionals to discuss and debate on recent pertinent topics.
Are you considering any study or professional development in the future?
Currently I am studying a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment, which I expect to complete by September 2008. Over the following two years I am considering completing the Chartered Financial Analyst program. My longer term academic goal is to complete an MBA within the next 10 years.
Are you involved with any professional associations, and why?
I became a member of Finsia to tap into the excellent professional development programs and join a network of like minded finance professionals. Finsia also helps keep me up to date with the industry via regular publications like inFinance, and they provide me with the opportunity to attend various functions to discuss current events in the financial services industry.
What tips for success can you give for an aspiring analyst?
Having a realistic perspective about the stage your career is at is very important. Too often, less experienced people believe they should be receiving the big promotions/roles just because they have heard someone has entered what I refer to as the ‘Golden Elevator’. Understanding that everyone has to ‘walk before they can run’ is perhaps the best saying to remember. People who work hard and continue to develop their skills will be the winners at the end of the day.
Actively look for ways in which you can differentiate yourself from your peers. This could mean putting your hand up for a project, despite the fact that you are already busy with other tasks. Or take responsibility for something that you are not necessarily required to do. Alternatively, it could be as simple as introducing yourself to a partner/manager in your office or a group of people at a networking function. Stand out from the crowd … but without making a fool of yourself!