What it does: Accounting
Staff stats: 90 directors, 500 professional staff
The good bits: Great colleagues
The not so good bits: Lots of paperwork
Hiring grads with degrees in: Finance, Accounting, Economics & Business Administration
The William Buck story
The firm was started in 1895, in the midst of economic depression by Mr. William Buck. With a passion for helping people and their businesses reach their full potential, William Buck soon built a reputation as a firm of choice among the Melbourne business community. Today, the firm has grown to develop a strong presence across Australia and New Zealand.
William Buck describes itself as a “progressive firm of Chartered Accountants and Advisors” with offices in Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. William Buck focuses on the middle market. It services private and listed companies, community organisations and individuals.
It is also a member of Praxity, the world’s biggest alliance of independent accountancy and consulting firms and its 6th largest accounting association, providing access to over 40,000 experts in 103 countries.
The firm offers six service lines, though not all service lines operate in every office. They are:
The firm’s ‘360-degree support’ approach is based on an integrated services model. Clients have access to William Buck staff with different specialties, based at different offices. These staff collaborate to provide “a responsive, personalised solution” that delivers “long-term value”.
The culture
William Buck has a unique corporate culture and a strong sense of itself as more than just an accountancy firm. It sees itself as “Changing Lives”, which is the firm’s guiding philosophy meaning employees from all backgrounds are provided with “a supportive environment… [where they] are encouraged to pursue their dreams”.
Social contribution
William Buck has been ‘Changing Lives’ since the firm was founded, helping its clients at pivotal points in their lives and providing advice and education. These days the firm also undertakes initiatives to raise funds and awareness, and provide hands-on support, for charities and organisations most in need. Many senior staff volunteer their time and expertise to not-for-profits, doing pro bono work and serving as non-executive directors. William Buck makes a significant contribution to the accounting profession by providing education courses and writing research papers for a range of industry bodies and independent accounting firms. They also conduct a number of technical seminars and training on a range of topics.
The recruitment process
William Buck recruits grads looking to build their futures in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Auckland. Grads with an accounting, commerce or business degree are encouraged to apply. They need to be “motivated, well-rounded individuals who possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills” and who want to “work and learn in a strong team environment”.
The recruitment process can vary between offices but it begins by making an online application direct to the office you wish to work in. This application must include your CV, academic transcript and a cover letter and an indication of the service line of interest to you. The cover letter should convey “…why you are passionate about being a Chartered Accountant and what you would do personally to live up to the aspirations of Changing Lives”
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a face-to-face interview. If that goes well, you’ll be asked to a second interview.
William Buck’s grad program seeks to provide “…a solid technical foundation on which to build your future”. It kicks off with a comprehensive induction program. Following that, grads spend time at William Buck College receiving training in soft and practical skills. Grads are then supported through the Chartered Accountants (CA) Program run by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ). William Buck is a Recognised Training Employer for CAANZ, so their grads are exempt from completing the logbook. Grads also receive technical training in relation to their specialised field and are paired with a buddy to assist with the transition into the firm and their career.
Remuneration
Aside from promising potential employees “…challenging opportunities and outstanding workplace benefits in a supportive environment” the firm provides remuneration packages in line with the market. Additional benefits include a comprehensive learning and development program inclusive of financial and work-place assistance throughout your CA studies in supportive social environment.
Career prospects
As a grad, you can expect your work to be reviewed and guidance given to enable you to develop and improve. You will receive feedback on a daily basis. Your performance will also be formally reviewed regularly. This will involve having your performance assessed against the firm’s competency framework.
As your career progresses, you’ll have access to in-house training and be offered support, in the form of study leave and subsidised course fees, when completing postgraduate study in an area related to your profession such as the Chartered Accountants Program, Diploma of Financial Planning, Certificate of Financial Planning, or Master’s Degree.
The vibe of the place
William Buck promises grads a “young, dynamic and fun” environment where “people work hard and enjoy spending time together”. As a grad, you’ll be assigned to a particular division where you’ll work closely with your team.
The firm encourages the team to meet new people and build their networks while delivering meaningful work to their clients. With regular social functions both formal and informal, you will have plenty of opportunities to get to know your team and other colleagues.
"William Buck offers a rewarding career, not a job. As a progressive firm of Chartered Accountants and Advisors, we have opportunities for enthusiastic graduates looking to build their futures in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Auckland.
We operate in an environment built on teamwork and respect, where the skills you learn have lasting value and will form the foundations of your future. We value well-rounded individuals and focus on assisting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance.
With a history dating back to 1895, William Buck has over 80 directors and 600 professional staff, and is wholly owned and operated in Australia and New Zealand.
As a member of Praxity, the world’s largest international accounting alliance, we have access to 39,000 professionals in 103 countries providing many international opportunities for our clients and team.
We are out to create positive change in the lives of our clients, our people and our community. Our vision of Changing Lives is simple yet powerful. This philosophy was created in recognition of the role we can play in the lives of our clients, employees and the wider community. This simple statement impacts the way we think and therefore how we act. We know that everything we do has the potential to make a change; big or small.
Our Clients
With a particular focus on the middle-market, we assist private and publicly listed companies, community organisations and individuals. Remaining true to this core client base has enabled us to develop a depth of knowledge and expertise to suit their needs.
As part of a supportive team, you’ll be working with clients from a wide range of industries and you will have the ability to apply your skills to assist them from day one.
360 Degree Support
As a multi-disciplinary firm, our clients benefit from our integrated services model. While you may be assigned to a particular division you’ll work closely with colleagues in other disciplines and locations to provide a responsive and customised solution for each client. Bringing our services together in an integrated manner ensures our clients receive the right advice at the right time.
What we offer
Our comprehensive graduate training schedule will ensure you develop a solid technical foundation on which to build your future.
We believe that career progression advances through learning and development, even our directors are still learning. This commitment to lifelong learning is critical to your success and your professional development and will continue throughout your career, with on-the-job training, internal and external training courses, secondment opportunities and career-long learning programs.
Your future starts on day one
Induction
Our comprehensive induction program will give you the groundings to succeed in your new role at William Buck. Through a range of orientation activities, policies and procedures and a get-to-know our culture.
William Buck College
A highlight of the training schedule is the William Buck College, which takes place in the first couple of months of your employment with us. The William Buck College is a 2-5-day intensive course providing you with soft and practical skills that can be put to use right away. The College also provides you with the opportunity to meet and build friendships with graduates from the whole William Buck group across Australia and New Zealand.
CA Program
As a graduate, you’ll be eligible to commence the Chartered Accountants (CA) Program through Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. As this program is crucial for your professional growth and development we do everything possible to ensure you’re supported through this course.
William Buck is a Recognised Training Employer by CAANZ, meaning CA Program candidates are not required to record their competency development in the logbook over a three-year period and can use the approved William Buck documentation instead.
You’ll have access to both financial and work-place assistance through technical training sessions, the opportunity to work with and learn from specialists, the provision of training materials and the encouragement of peer workgroups. William Buck also provide 2 day’s leave per CA subject, with an extra day’s leave for the exam.
Technical Training
On-going technical training is provided to support our graduates development in relation to their specialised field.
Mentoring
Participating in our mentoring programme, you’ll have regular career reviews and one –on-one coaching with your Manager and Director and benefit from hands-on advice from other senior leaders within the firm to ensure you have the necessary support to achieve your goals.
We also offer a number of regular in-house classroom sessions, in specific specialisations such as tax. As well as external training activities.
William Buck is proud to have built a firm, which engenders loyalty and provides an environment to build a rewarding career and enable staff to use their skills to make a difference as a community leader. We also provide you with the soft-skills required to be a future leader and progress to management and build effective relationships with your clients.
Personal Development
We aren’t just interested in your professional development; we also care about your personal development. With regular social functions throughout the year including our End of Financial Year party and Christmas party, there will be plenty of opportunities to get to know your team and other colleagues. A range of more informal activities including dinners, sporting events and trivia nights are also organised.
Your Opportunities
With six service lines, we offer a number of opportunities for your future career, but you may not know which area you want to specialise in. We’ll take the time to get to know you and help find a career path which suits you best. Please note that not all service lines operate in every office.
Take the Next Step in Your Future
We take the responsibility of deciding who to invite to join our team very seriously and due to this, we have a few steps in our recruitment process to help us reach a decision. We also know that this process is as important for you as it is to us. It’s your chance to get to know us and to decide whether our firm is the right place to begin your career.
Please ensure all applications include:
To be eligible to apply for graduate positions at William Buck, we require applicants to be a permanent resident and / or have full Australian working rights."