‘I definitely wanted a job with opportunities abroad’ 

In her spare time, she energetically organises the local village festival, while at Grant Thornton audit is her sweet spot. For the time being, she is still going about her duties at the office in Vilvoorde, but foreign lands beckon. Meet Amber Derua, our junior auditor with ambition: ‘I can get so completely absorbed in my work that I forget the time.’

Who is Amber Derua?  Position: Junior Auditor Fanatical foodie  Age: 24 Office: Vilvoorde Energy source: an enthusiastic team to work alongside   Hobbies: dancing and good food

How did you end up at Grant Thornton? 

Amber: ‘We got talking at the job fair run by Ekonomika, the Leuven student association of the Faculty of Economics and Business. I immediately felt a connection. Grant Thornton’s approach is unique: very personal and engaged. And the atmosphere was friendly later on too, during the conversation with the managers. They made me feel really welcome. I knew straight away that this was where I belonged.’

What opportunities does Grant Thornton offer? 

Amber: ‘After just two weeks I was allowed to visit clients on my own for the stock count. That was pretty exciting, but it was also a huge boost for my self-confidence. I love the fact that we’re given responsibility so quickly. Another great opportunity is the possibility of working abroad, where Grant Thornton has several member firms. That’s high up on my wish list!’

What makes working at Grant Thornton so enjoyable?

Amber: ‘You spend almost as much time at work as at home, so I regard social contact and connection with colleagues as extremely important. The atmosphere is great here – we recently went skiing together. As a junior you don’t feel any gap at all between you and the higher management here. We’re all one team.’

How do you see your future development? 

Amber: ‘As someone in my first job, I still have a lot to learn, about doing tasks more efficiently, building better client relationships and becoming more self-confident in what I do. That’s the main thing I want to focus on now. Maybe one day I’ll become a qualified auditor, but I’m not working towards that yet. My medium-term dream is to spend a few months working at an office in a distant continent.’