IN the day-to-day grind of professional life, we sometimes forget why we started doing what we do and, more importantly, why we continue to put our blood, sweat, and tears into it every day. Amid the hustle, have you taken a moment to sit back and ask yourself, “When are you most proud of what you do?”
From my early days as an audit junior all the way to becoming a partner, the moments I treasure most are when I see how our work gives organizations clarity, strengthens their decisions, or helps them operate with integrity. Every time I see our work make a tangible impact is when I feel that what I do is truly meaningful.
Yet despite the importance and purpose behind external audit, our work is still too often reduced to stereotypes of routine, pressure and long hours.
Today, accounting graduates face a different landscape. Many see that becoming a CPA is no longer the only path. At the same time, audit is sometimes misunderstood as rigid, stressful, or simply a stepping stone. Still, in a country where the profession remains audit-centric, public practice continues to shape some of the strongest finance and business leaders.
Audit, as a career, is evolving. Through the efforts of businesses, professional organizations and people alike, the stereotype of toxic hours, intimidating environments, and the old-school “sink or swim” culture is being addressed. Organizations like our firm, P&A Grant Thornton, have invested in capped hours, hybrid setups and a healthier culture: not to make the work “easy” but to make it more accessible, more meaningful and more sustainable.
With my firm’s recent recognition as the top employer for fresh graduates in accounting and advisory in the Philippines and the fourth overall employer by Prosple, a career platform, it is clear that the profession and the environments we build within it are evolving in ways that resonate. We are steadily shaping a version of public practice where the demands of audit are met with empathy, balance and genuine support.
It is a continuous goal to turn working in public practice not into the default stepping stone to a fruitful career, but an option worth truly considering and loving.
With fewer CPAs entering public practice, the space has opened up in ways unimaginable a decade ago. Along with the expanded expectations from businesses, the opportunities for accounting graduates have grown wider, deeper and more diverse.
I recently came across an article discussing how, despite the rising demand for both CPA and non-CPA professionals, the number of people choosing to stay in public practice continues to decline. This made me reflect on an important question: Why is public practice becoming less appealing?
The question echoes across classrooms, review centers, professional organizations and among graduating students. It’s easy to associate the work auditors do with “boring” and tedium: rubber stamps, stacks of papers and signatures. Even as a student, “busy season” horror stories were already part of conversations. Today, it’s not so much that the work has gotten easier — there is no shortcut for what we do. Rather, through better tools, intentional mentorship and healthier work policies, the profession has made the work more manageable and more meaningful.
But beyond the improvements in culture and technology, what often goes unnoticed is that audit remains one of the most dynamic and opportunity-rich career paths an accounting graduate can choose. In an era where roles in finance, data analytics, consulting and corporate strategy appear more modern or more lucrative, it is easy to look at audit as something traditional or old-school. Yet the reality is that auditing gives young professionals something no other career path offers at the same scale: an immediate vantage point into how organizations actually operate. That level of exposure accelerates learning in ways that shape well-rounded, resilient professionals.
The profession also sharpens the kind of skills that compound: critical thinking, judgment, communication, leadership under pressure and the ability to navigate complex problems. This is why a public practice background consistently opens doors, whether in corporate finance, consulting, risk management, analytics, or even abroad.
More importantly, auditing gives young professionals the chance to contribute to something that matters. In a world where trust is fragile and financial integrity essential, auditors help ensure that the numbers reported are fair, accurate and responsible. The impact may be quiet, but it is undeniably powerful.
Perhaps this is why public practice should be seen not merely as a stepping stone. Audit offers a depth of learning, a sense of purpose and a breadth of opportunity. For those willing to embrace the challenge, it is more than a first step: it is a path with limitless potential and purpose.
Thinking back at how I entered the profession, I realize how different things were. Coming from the province, opportunities felt limited, and exposure was not as accessible. I chose accountancy partly because of a common misconception: that being “good in math” meant accounting was the natural path. All I really wanted was a stable job, and when an upperclassman suggested I try out P&A Grant Thornton, I quickly grabbed the opportunity.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand the breadth of possibilities within public practice: my perception was mostly shaped by the people around me, my mentors, teachers and family. Today’s students, on the other hand, have clearer visibility. Career fairs, internships and digital platforms have made the profession more transparent, more approachable, and more within reach.
When comparing the state of the profession then and now, the difference is stark. What used to be a traditional, paper-heavy, survival-based environment has evolved into a profession that values learning, technology, intentional leadership and employee well-being. Public practice has stepped into a modern era that recognizes that while the work is inherently challenging, it doesn’t have to come at the cost of health, growth, or purpose.
It’s clear that the path forward is to continue evolving with intention: to meet the needs of a new generation while staying anchored to the integrity and purpose that define our work. Audit does not need to compete with every new opportunity that emerges; it simply needs to show the value it has always offered in a way that resonates with aspiring professionals.
To those considering a career in audit or in public practice in general, the profession today offers more possibilities than ever before. If you are considering this path or already feel the spark, take the time to explore the profession. Study. Research. Ask questions. Seek internships. Look for firms that expose you to different types of work and allow you to experience the realities of the role. The more you immerse yourself, the clearer the picture becomes.
Who knows? Like many of us who started without fully knowing where the journey will lead, you might just find that this is where you truly belong.
Yusoph Maute is a partner for the audit and assurance practice area at P&A Grant Thornton.
