In First Person

Rachel Toomey: "Drive a little further" to learn more

One of the first things we talked about in our car of five as we made our way to the job site was how different this part of Kentucky looked than what we had imagined.  There were nice houses and lawns and nice cars parked in driveways.  We were all commenting on how we were expecting much worse; the road was lined with homes that were comparable to that of the suburbs back in Philadelphia.

A few seconds later we realized we had all spoken too soon.

Our job site was in the middle of a trailer park, down a no-named street and on top of a steep hill.  Lining the street were other trailers that looked abandoned (which we soon found out was not the case). The elderly man living in our assigned trailer had been climbing down a rotted, unstable stairway connected to a deck that wasn’t far from the same condition.  He was in a wheelchair, connected to an oxygen tank, and although he had difficulty breathing he still managed to share his gratitude that we had come to help build him a new, safer route out of his home.

 This picture alone stands out in my head as the most significant moment of our trip.  It helped me realize that at first glance things can appear intact, but it’s when you “drive a little further” that you may find someone who could really use your help.  The fact that we, as a firm, made this venture together reassured me that I am not only fortunate to be where I am in my life, but to also have a job where they want you to feel that way too.

Rachel Toomey: Why was BBD the right choice for me?

I still remember the day of my 2nd interview with BBD when I went out to lunch with three of BBD's employees.   We took a short walk over to Mission Grill and as soon as we sat down and began talking I instantly felt at home:  I not only felt comfortable asking them questions about my future career in accounting but I was even able to share a few laughs with them at the lunch table.  It was unlike any interview I had ever been on; who would have thought you could actually enjoy an interview?

So to answer the question, my co-workers are the reason I chose to work at BBD, and my first impression couldn't have been more right.  Since I started in July, my friends and family always ask me "How's the new job?" and I'm lucky enough to tell them that I couldn't ask for a better group of people to learn from and grow with than those at BBD.

The reason why I found the people I work with to be such an important factor in my decision was because I knew that as an accountant in a CPA firm I would be learning from them everyday and spending a lot of time traveling and working closely as a team.  What is more important as a new auditor in a team of four than to be able to feel comfortable with those you are working with, whether it's asking them a question about the audit or just asking about their weekend? 

At BBD I found this comfort and more: I now consider my co-workers my friends as well, something that makes coming into work something I can look forward to.  Whether it's working on an audit or playing a friendly game of home-run derby on the Wii at lunch time, I consider my decision to become an employee at BBD the best decision I could have made for my career, not only professionally but personally as well.