Who are you? What and when did you study at Aalto University School of Business?
My name is Ilkka Siitonen and I started my studies in the School of Business in 2014, majoring in Accounting. I did my minor in Information and Service Management and graduated in 2019.
Why did you want to study Accounting?
My interest towards Accounting emerged when reading the entrance exam books for the School of Business, and it only grew during the first year of my studies. I particularly liked the first basic course in Accounting, since it was a very interesting and well-organized course. I learned also that by studying Accounting, you can end up doing various tasks, as it does not rule anything out.
What has been important or useful during your studies with regard to employment?
Those courses have been the most useful where I could train my presentation skills, for example when we presented our own analysis/project to the fellow students or company representatives. These skills have proven to be very useful also later, for example when I have to present large data masses to my clients.
Would you do something differently in your studies?
I would do more courses from other Aalto schools, for example courses in industrial engineering or programming. Moreover, I would participate more in events organized together with different companies.
How has your career path been?
I did two internships during my Bachelor studies, one at Wilson in Chicago and another at Amer Sports in München, performing different kinds of tasks in financial administration. In addition, I worked one summer at Neste, where I continued working part-time during studies.
These experiences gave me good motivation to complete my studies, as they helped link the theory learned in the courses to the work life. As I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree, I got a job at Deloitte, where I’m working also nowadays.
How did you end up in your current position?
I applied for a trainee position at Deloitte, since I was interested in business acquisitions. I also wrote my thesis on the topic.
In my current job, I do financial due diligence for private equity or corporate clients. The work is interesting as I get to see and analyze different businesses in various sizes, everything from stock-listed companies to foreign start-ups.
Did you do summer jobs or internships during your studies? What is your advice for students to find a job?
I did both during my studies. I used Aalto’s CareerWeb portal and LinkedIn to find a job.
I would say that you should participate in the events organized together with different companies. In those events, you get to meet the employees and ask them about their job. That way you can see whether or not some jobs would be of interest to you.
Further information:
Get to know Ilkka’s career path more closely on LinkedIn!
