Stephan Kok: ‘At KPMG I work on digital advice and execution’
Stephan Kok has been at KPMG for two and a half years now. He started here in 2019 as a thesis intern. After his internship, he knew for sure: KPMG was a great place to give your career a kick start. Half a year later he was no longer an intern finishing his degree, but a full-blown KPMG consultant in the Digital Enablement team. Curious to know what exactly Stephan does? And how he’s experienced the past two years? Then read on.
At KPMG, people instantly think of the accountancy office, but not so readily about technology. Yet it’s the fastest growing practice in the organization, and the Digital Enablement team is part of it. The Digital Enablement team keeps itself busy with digital transformation and advice on software development. In the past two years, Stephan has worked on advice assignments, for example handling legacy code, delivering target architecture, and examining the quality of software. “Working for a variety of clients gives you a glimpse behind many different scenes. At KPMG, you have lots of possibilities to specialize in various topics, get to know different businesses, and grow professionally,” says Stephan.
Besides advice assignments, you also have the scope to do hands-on projects at clients’ companies and to actually apply the advice in the form of solutions and implementations. In this way you bring tangible results to the client. “I’ve also participated in operational assignments, like producing a proof of concept and working as a developer on an authentication platform for a client.”
Advice and implementation
Stephan: “At KPMG the combination of advice and implementation gives you a great balance and a challenging learning curve.” You have the chance to work as a consultant in various businesses. This way, you get to know the inner workings of a variety of businesses, find out what their best practices are, and learn how best to tackle complex issues.
In the assignments you do for clients, you can develop hard, soft, as well as technical skills. “There is a great balance between helping the client at a business level, for instance establishing a target architecture, and getting deep into the technical side, like when you develop an SAML authentication platform with Spring Boot micro services.”
Learn and grow
Stephan is also thrilled with the extensive opportunities that KPMG offers to learn and grow. “As a go-between for business and technology it is important to have the right soft skills. With my technical background, I’ve been able to build my soft skills further with the help of in-house courses like interviewing, pitching, and professional writing.”
At KPMG, you can always count on help from colleagues. There is no strict hierarchy in the company. The input I gave on my first day here was immediately seen as equally valid.
Stephan Kok, Consultant Digital Enablement
The Covid pandemic had only just started when Stephan joined as a consultant. This meant that he had a rather unusual start. “Suddenly from being with family members around the kitchen table, to an own office in my room, and finally the long-awaited enjoyable trips with colleagues.”
Excellent culture
“We’re now two years down the road and I’m still in my place at KPMG. There’s a pleasant culture here where everyone can do what they feel comfortable with. Besides, the cooperation with the rest of the Digital Enablement team is great. “You can always count on help from colleagues. There is no strict hierarchy in the company. The input I gave on my first day here was immediately seen as equally valid.”
This article appeared earlier on consultancy.nl.
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At KPMG, you’ll find an open, informal culture. You'll have the freedom to grow. Both professionally and personally. And you’ll quickly gain many responsibilities. Curious to know what possibilities you have in the Digital Enablement team?
