We are happy to have Kehinde Ogunjemilusi on Professional Profiles this week. Kehinde is an Internal Auditor with two years’ experience in Auditing and Financial Accounting at a leading pharmaceutical company in Nigeria. She is smart, passionate about her job, and is a good example to young women in Nigeria.
Career Prep NG: Thank you for taking time off your busy schedule to respond to our survey. Internal Auditor… that sounds scary. Please tell us, what do you do?
Kehinde: My daily activities cut across performing pre- and post-audit activities and payment checks; daily call over of stock activities, i.e., invoices, waybills, stock returns,credit notes; and physical verification of stock receipts and reconciliation. I am also responsible for preparing audit reports and providing these to the organisation’s management.
Career Prep NG: Sounds like very important work in any business organisation. What challenges did you face on your path to this career?
Kehinde: I had the fear of making a mistake in my choice of career after the university. The challenge i faced therefore is that I had to keep reassuring and convincing myself that this career I have chosen is the right path for me… amidst all odds.
Career Prep NG: What qualities will help someone succeed as an Internal Auditor?
Kehinde: I will say three things: good communication skills, good analytical thinking, and strong interpersonal skills.
Career Prep NG: What makes your current job easy or difficult?
Kehinde: What makes the job a difficult one is the non-cooperation of the audit client, that is, the person(s) I get to audit their documents or processes. People have the opinion that auditors are there to find fault with them. Hence, they tend to become very unresponsive and aggressive as well as conceal important information useful for the auditor’s report, and most importantly for the good of the organisation.
Career Prep NG: What motivated you to take up your profession?
Kehinde: I was motivated to take up my current profession because of my passion for constantly learning new things and getting to interact with various people across the organisation. I also seek ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness in my organisation.
Career Prep NG: What kind of education is essential for this profession?
Kehinde: A university education is required. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Lagos.
Career Prep NG: Please mention the subjects required for WASSCE/NECO & UTME.
Kehinde: Mathematics, English Language, Accounts, Economics, Commerce, Biology and Government
Career Prep NG: What professional training(s) have you undergone?
Kehinde: I have undergone training in personal and self development and customer relationship management. I would advise young people to undergo training in personal and self development, emotional intelligence, and leadership training. This would motivate and steer them towards greater productivity and fulfillment.
Career Prep NG: In your opinion, what opportunities for your profession will exist for youth in Nigeria in the next 5-10 years?
Kehinde: Auditors have numerous opportunities for professional advancement due to their exposure to various business processes and sectors of the economy. In the course of their engagements, auditors gain domain and subject matter expertise while reviewing various business processes in line with best practices. Combine this with business knowledge and you have professionals with the potential to function as better administrators than their operational counterparts when the opportunity arrives.
The advancement of technology will take over a lot of manual tasks. There will be a rise in various accounting software and ERPs which will help a great deal especially in data analysis (which could be cumbersome) in order to simplify accounting activities. In 10 years’ time, the most successful internal auditors will help businesses prosper by providing more sophisticated intelligence, working with more complex data requiring advanced audit and analyses. Young people aspiring for this career will do well to become familiar with these technologies. With the knowledge and expertise gained from various engagements, auditors are positioned for managerial opportunities in various sectors of the economy ranging from manufacturing, financial services, and banking to mention only a few.
Career Prep NG: Who is your role model?
Kehinde: Dorothy S. Eisenberg
Career Prep NG: Any other advice to the interested youth out there?
Kehinde: I would advise youths to be focused, hardworking, and determined in whatever career choice they choose. They should constantly seek to develop and improve their skills by embracing the culture of reading. I implore them to understand that they can become whatever it is they choose to be. You are the master of your fate and the captain of your soul.
Also, I must say this project is an awesome one as it guides the youth on the right path in choosing careers as well as adding value to one’s life. More power to you!
Kehinde will be happy to respond to any questions you may have. She can be reached via email at kogunje at gmail dot com.
