Graduate Spotlight: Zichen Cheng

In Crowe's latest spotlight highlighting our talented graduates, please enjoy the below testimony from Audit Trainee, Zichen Cheng.

Was there anything that made you hesitant before applying to Crowe’s Graduate Programme?

Honestly, the location.

At the time I was living in Tallaght. I was slightly traumatised by the idea of commuting through city traffic every day. Then I joined Crowe and met colleagues commuting from Naas, Kildare, Drogheda and even further areas. Not only did I realise that my commute wasn't actually that bad, but also learned that these colleagues actually make it to the office quicker than I do.

What's one thing you actually do day-to-day that you didn't think you would on Crowe's grad programme?

Considering how to record those coffee chats on my timesheet.

If someone was applying to Crowe’s Graduate Programme today, what advice would you give them?

Have a good idea of which area interests you most — whether that's Corporate Finance, Consulting, Audit or Tax — and think about the type of career path you want to take.

Though one of the things I've seen at Crowe is that there is genuine flexibility, and there are real examples of people moving across service lines as their interests develop.

What would you say to someone who thinks a firm like Crowe isn’t for them?

There isn't one single "type" of person who works at Crowe. Since joining, I've seen the firm become increasingly diverse, with people from different educational backgrounds, cultures and experiences all contributing in different ways. 

What's something your team does — big or small — that you'd genuinely miss if you left?

The support from my seniors and managers.

Crowe is my first professional job, and starting my career while also adapting to a different cultural environment could have been quite daunting. What made the difference was having people who were consistently patient, supportive and happy to help.

Kickstart your career with Crowe and apply to our Graduate Programme today.