Your new job at JAKUS

Martyna is completing her training as a tax clerk at JAKUS in an accelerated program of 2.5 years and is about to take her final exam. With very strong performance and a high level of personal responsibility, she quickly became involved in key areas of work.
She soon took on her own payroll clients, contributed to the digitalization of payroll processes, and actively helps shape the payroll section of our help page.
In this interview, she talks about her training journey and her development toward working independently in our tax & advisory firm.

What did your start at JAKUS look like in the first weeks of your training?
My start to the training as a tax clerk at JAKUS was well structured. All trainees begin in the assistance team to get to know the processes, software, and clients. This gives you a solid understanding of how our firm is organized, how deadlines work, and how communication with clients takes place. Only after that do you gradually grow into your professional tasks step by step.

What defines my team? We support each other, share our knowledge, and pull together even during stressful times. Open communication helps us find solutions together – and of course, a bit of humor is always part of it.

What tasks do you handle in your daily training routine today – and how do you notice your development?
My daily work is now very diverse. I work in payroll accounting, financial accounting, prepare tax returns, and support the preparation of annual financial statements.
I notice my development most clearly in the fact that I understand the bigger picture. In the beginning, I completed tasks based on instructions. Today, I work more independently, think ahead, and manage my own clients. That gives me a great feeling because I can see how much I’ve learned.

What level of responsibility in payroll have you been able to take on step by step during your training?
At the beginning, I handled preparatory tasks. Over time, I was able to take on my own payroll clients – of course with a professional contact person available for support.
Today, I independently prepare payrolls, review special cases such as one-time payments or changes in employment relationships, and act as a direct contact person for clients in day-to-day business. The gradual transfer of responsibility has given me a lot of confidence.

How is the professional collaboration in payroll organized – and what role do you take in it?
I manage my payroll clients independently and, for more complex questions, I can coordinate directly with Marion, who is responsible for the technical leadership in payroll.
This gives me confidence in my daily work and ensures that quality is always maintained, even in more complex cases.

What helped you become more confident professionally?
Three things helped me the most: practical experience from day one, patient explanations from experienced colleagues, and the trust to take on my own tasks.
Especially in payroll accounting, you learn a lot through repetition. With each payroll, you become more confident – especially when you understand why you are doing something.

What was more challenging than expected at the beginning – and what is easier today?
At the beginning, it was challenging to keep track of the many legal regulations in tax and social security law. I also first had to learn to understand the connections between the different areas of work.
Today, I can more quickly see how accounting, payroll, and tax returns are connected. Through daily practice, I now work in a more structured and confident way than at the beginning.

How did the firm support you during your training?
I had dedicated contact persons in all areas and received regular feedback. I was also supported in preparing for my final exam. What was especially important to me was that I was able to take on responsibility early on and actively contribute – not just observe.

Who do you think the training at JAKUS is particularly suitable for?
The training is well suited for people who like to work in a structured way, have an interest in numbers, and are interested in economic relationships.
Anyone who wants to take on responsibility and is willing to dive into complex topics will have the opportunity here to truly develop professionally.

What was a moment during your training that you are particularly proud of?
I’m especially proud that I am now able to work independently in many areas and take responsibility for my own tasks.
Seeing how much responsibility I can take on shortly before my final exam shows me how much I have grown.

Max has been part of the firm for several years and is now responsible for operational organization and structural development. With his background in economics and his perspective gained from academic studies and international experience, he brings strong business expertise into the tax & advisory firm. He is currently preparing for the tax advisor exam, combining professional specialization with organizational responsibility. In this interview, he shares insights into structure, digitalization, and the future development of the firm.

How would you describe your role at JAKUS today?
I see my role as creating the conditions within our firm that allow professional quality to develop – through clear responsibilities, reliable processes, and a working environment that enables ownership. The goal is to ensure that good work is not left to chance but is structurally supported.

You are responsible, among other things, for the firm’s operational organization – what does that involve in everyday work?
On a daily basis, this mainly means defining processes, questioning workflows, introducing digital solutions, and enabling quick coordination. It’s about reducing friction and creating clear structures. This allows everyone on the team to focus on what truly matters – professional quality and strong collaboration.

What perspectives do you bring into the firm through your studies and previous experience?
Through my studies in economics at the University of Passau and my Master’s degree in Management at ESCP Europe, I bring a business-oriented perspective into the firm. This is reflected, for example, in the development of cost accounting systems and KPI frameworks for clients.
My time abroad in Sweden, the UK, and France has also strengthened my understanding of different ways of working and international contexts.

Which organizational or structural topics have been particularly important to you in recent years?
In recent years, we have deliberately invested in digitalization, clear responsibilities, and transparent communication. Our goal is for new team members to find a structured and modern working environment – with clear processes and realistic expectations.

How does collaboration work between operational organization and professional leadership in the firm?
As a team of ten employees, close and trust-based coordination is essential. Improvements are developed through dialogue – for example, in our weekly jour fixe, where we reflect on experiences and plan the upcoming week. This is how we create structures that are both efficient and practical for everyday use.

What does a modern, digitally operating tax firm mean to you?
For us, digital means smart, well-designed, and relieving processes in our firm. We use technologies that simplify workflows, create transparency, and generate real time savings.
Our goal is to avoid manually recording documents when structured digital data is already available.
For example, wherever possible, we connect cash register systems with DATEV MeinFiskal and thus directly with accounting. Bank statements have also not been booked manually for many years. For property companies, we use existing interfaces with property management software to automatically transfer data into accounting.
This creates a working environment where people are at the center – not routine tasks.

You are currently preparing for the tax advisor exam – how does this step fit into your career path so far, and what motivates you professionally?
The tax advisor exam gives me the professional depth to take on even greater responsibility. What motivates me most is combining professional expertise with organizational development and actively shaping the long-term future of the firm.

How does your previous career path support your preparation for the tax advisor exam?
In addition to business theory, my daily professional work in the firm – under the technical leadership of Marion with her many years of experience – gives me a very practical approach to tax-related issues. This combination of theory and practice is a key advantage in preparing for the exam – and something we also actively encourage within the team when colleagues want to develop professionally.

Where do you see the development of the firm in the coming years?
We aim to continue growing steadily and have been regularly training tax clerks ourselves for over ten years. Our goal is to be a firm where people enjoy working – with clear development opportunities and real career prospects in a modern tax & advisory firm. Anyone who joins our team becomes part of shaping this path in the long term.

Sven joined JAKUS as an intern as part of a retraining program to become an office management specialist and is now a reliable member of the team. With his calm and structured approach, he plays a key role in ensuring that organizational processes run smoothly. In addition to team assistance, he has since taken on responsibility for the firm’s internal accounting and supports digital processes. In this interview, he shares insights into collaboration, structure, and day-to-day work behind the scenes.

How does everyday work at JAKUS run – and where does it become particularly challenging?
Daily work in our firm is well structured and clearly organized. Thanks to established processes and digital workflows, everyone knows where they stand. It becomes more challenging when multiple topics need to be coordinated at the same time or when deadlines converge. In those moments, it becomes clear how important clear communication and strong team coordination are.

How do you ensure good coordination between specialists, assistants, and management?
We work with regular meetings and defined communication structures. There are clear responsibilities and designated contact persons, which allows decisions to be made quickly. Through our weekly jour fixe, everyone stays aligned and open topics are discussed transparently.

What specifically ensures that the team can work efficiently on a daily basis?
Efficiency mainly comes from reliable processes and clearly defined workflows. Everyone knows which tasks fall within their area and who to turn to with questions. Digital workflows and standardized DATEV processes also ensure that information does not have to be recorded or passed on multiple times.

What often surprises new team members?
Many are surprised by how structured yet collegial our work environment is. Despite clear processes, communication remains personal and straightforward. New team members quickly realize that questions are always welcome and that support is a given.

What does “working digitally” mean at JAKUS in practical terms?
Working digitally in our tax & advisory firm includes largely paperless file management, digital communication, standardized DATEV processes, secure data transfer, as well as digital approval and signature workflows.
In addition, we manage tasks in Microsoft Teams Planner and document workflows, responsibilities, and process steps there – especially for larger clients. This ensures that information remains transparent, traceable, and accessible to the entire team.
The goal is to reduce routine tasks and support professional work efficiently.

What makes collaboration here enjoyable – and where is personal responsibility required?
For me, collaboration is above all very straightforward. Many things can be resolved quickly through direct communication, without long coordination processes.
When someone is under pressure, we support each other. This creates a strong sense of teamwork where everyone can rely on one another.
At the same time, it is expected that everyone organizes their own area of responsibility independently and takes ownership of their tasks.

How has your role developed since you started at JAKUS?
Since joining JAKUS, my role has gradually expanded. I have taken on additional responsibilities and now play a greater role in internal coordination.
Taking over responsibility for the firm’s internal accounting has particularly helped me grow both professionally and organizationally, allowing me to support the team more effectively in day-to-day work.