Scott Musser is a process consultant in Protiviti's Dallas, TX office. We asked him the following questions to get an idea of what his day to day responsibilities are as a risk management professional. Below you will find his responses and advice if you are thinking about entering into this profession.
1. What was your college and your major?
- Texas A&M University – BBA – Accounting
- Texas A&M University – MS – Management
2. What courses did you find the most helpful to prepare you for your current position? What advice do you have for students about choosing a major and choosing courses?
I find that both my degrees align well with the services that I perform for my clients and the approach I take to understanding their needs in response to a changing business environment. The strategic management and entrepreneurship courses I took in college help me think about the client’s operations in order to identify opportunities where Protiviti can improve their business. I also find that the accounting courses, especially a business modeling (MS Excel) course, I took in college assist with the technical aspects of my job.
The key to choosing a major and picking your courses hinges on your ability to clarify what you really enjoy in life. Picking a major based on the attractiveness of an industry will ultimately leave you disappointed. Align your courses with your passions, interests, and talents; everything else will take care of itself.
3. What are your primary work activities on a day to day basis?
Work activities vary from project to project. I have assisted with SOX compliance engagements which encompass monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of internal controls within the entity. Recently, I have worked on quality assurance audits in the retail sector where I travel to the client’s physical stores and perform a financial and operations assessment of the location. You could easily say that traveling is one of my primary work activities depending on the project.
4. What industries have you worked in?
Retail, Technology, Manufacturing
5. What do you enjoy most about your profession?
I enjoy the broad range of projects and industries that I am able to experience. Being a process consultant allows me to peel back the layers of what enables large businesses to run. Traveling to new places is always exciting. I have also been impressed with the quality of people I work with and my ability to develop good mentoring relationships inside the firm.
Traveling will wear you down from time to time. Just relax. Experience is a priceless and essential factor to a promising career.
6. What advice would you give to students interested in the internal audit/risk consulting business? Anything you would do different or change? Any success strategies to share?
Graduating college means that you are qualified and committed, not an expert, so come ready to learn. Be proactive in building a good career, but most importantly, be proactive in building good character. Think about a good personal code of conduct you want to follow throughout your career prior to starting your first day of work.