KEY POINTS:
IAN LEWINGTON
Chief Financial Officer, Tourism Holdings Limited
What was your first job?
After studying for a Bachelor of Commerce, I started work in 1985 at Arthur Young (now Ernst Young). I recall being paid around $12,000 per annum as a junior auditor. The audit firms did presentations at the university to recruit graduates and I applied to join.
Did you enjoy it?
I didn't really enjoy auditing as you moved from place to place and didn't get to know people well; but it was great in terms of exposure to different businesses and systems. The best part was that it was where I met my wife.
What did you learn?
Auditing was a great training place to learn about meeting deadlines and the value of time as we had to fill out time sheets dividing our day into six-minute intervals.
Auditing also provided an excellent grounding in accounting.
How long did you stay?
I stayed auditing for 13 months before leaving to join what was then Fletcher Challenge in a business role. I had made up my mind that I wanted to be part of a business, helping it grow, and that auditing was not something I was passionate about.
What was your boss like?
I reported to an audit senior. Can't recall a lot about her, so [she] must have been all right.
Any advice for someone starting out?
Ask lots of questions. Put your hand up for new tasks. And have a positive attitude.
Is it harder for people entering the job market now?
As the world gets more dependent on technology, then the demands for a good education, be it a trade or university, are greater.
Things like nerves on your first day in a new job haven't changed.
