What is Forensics?

DARREN HOPKINS, DIRECTOR, MCGRATHNICOL: Well, forensics is essentially a discipline where you are working to present something for court.

KIRSTEN AYLEN, SENIOR ASSOCIATE, VINCENT CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS: Any job you pick up can be completely different from the last, so it's quite interesting on a day-to-day basis.

DARREN HOPKINS: I'm in forensic technology, so computer forensics. It's collecting evidence from digital electronic devices. Finding where people have been surfing on the internet, if someone's hacked into a computer, misappropriated funds, it can be anything.

LISA BUNDESEN, PARTNER, PPB: One matter we ended up investigating was a young man charged with fraud, and we were able to show through the evidence that he was actually innocent.

KIRSTEN AYLEN: The characteristics a forensic accountant should possess are an attention to detail, they should have quite an analytical mind - so be able to look through things from different points of view. They should be able to have quite good research skills and report writing.

LISA BUNDESEN: I think the main thing is to be able to think outside the square, think outside the box. A lot of what we do isn't what they would normally call a tick-and-flick type matter.

DANIEL HAINS, DIRECTOR, VINCENTS FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY: My advice to students who wish to pursue a career in forensic accounting would be to get a good background in tax, get a good background in your graduate field, perhaps it's audit or insolvency reconstruction. And then if you think your skills are good enough, if you've got good communication, both written and oral, then try forensics, apply to some firms, send some CVs around and pursue your interest.