Back to Uni- Two accountancy & finance students share their thoughts.

It’s September which can only mean one thing- the new beginning of another university year. The dust (sand) from the summer has settled, course books have been purchased and people have been reacquainted through the usual fresher's weeks antics.

For this week’s blog we thought we would talk to two budding future accountants, Ciaran & Jessica, to get their perspective on their subject choices and international career prospects.

Jessica has just started her 2^nd year as an accountancy and finance student, whilst Ciaran is about to embark on his final year at university. So how do their views differ?
 

What made you want to choose to study accountancy & finance?

Jessica: I studied Accounting in 5th year at school and I found it really interesting, so it was a no-brainer when choosing what to study at university.

Ciaran: I didn’t really know what I wanted to do to begin with, I just knew accountancy & finance was a solid investment as a subject with a clear career path.

Did international opportunities in the future impact your university or subject choice?

Jessica: International opportunities are easily available and regularly suggested at university, so I am glad that I have the option to go abroad if I wish to do so in the future. However, this didn't have a great influence on my decision on where I chose to study.

Ciaran: My university has a lot of international ties so that did definitely impact my choice. When I chose accountancy & finance I did so knowing that it was a universal subject that could be very useful for a career at home or abroad.

Which country would you most like to work in and why?

Jessica: I would love to work in London and to experience the fast-paced life of an accountant living in the City. I've been down to visit a few friends there already and love the place!

Ciaran: Most of the people I know who’ve left to go abroad have recommended Australia or New Zealand, so I’d probably go out there to travel for a year after I’ve finished with my degree, then see what I think.

 

Would you like to specialise in any particular sector and why?

Jessica: Luckily I'm only starting second year so have plenty of time to still decide what I want to specialise in.

Ciaran: I’m doing my dissertation in Corporate Financing the areas it covers really interest me, so hopefully I'll be able to find a job in that field after I graduate/become qualified.

What companies/company would you like to work for and why?

 Jessica: I would love to work for one of the Big 4 because they have offices all over the world allowing for lots of travelling opportunities. They seem like great companies to work for with a big variety of people from different backgrounds.

Ciaran: I’m quite keen to run my own business one day, but before that I would love to get the chance to work for one of top ten firms and learn from some the best. My best mate works for Mazars UK and is really enjoying it there.

Do you know any other accountants that have been overseas and if so, what was their experience?

 Jessica: Yes, I know someone who travelled to Italy and lived there for two years while working as an accountant. He had a great time as he was able to learn some Italian and loved the culture there.

Ciaran: Most accountants that I know tend to stay in the UK but after the whole Brexit result people have started to consider other options.

What do you think would be the biggest challenge in an international move?

Jessica: I think the biggest challenge would be overcoming an language barriers or trying to fit in to the local culture.

Ciaran: Biggest challenge would be leaving friends and family behind. It’s easier these days with Skype and WhatsApp but it could still be tough when you need support.

What would be the most exciting thing about an international move?

Jessica: For me, the most exciting thing would be making connections and becoming friends with lots of people in a different country. Also being able to possibly speak a different language and communicate with the locals would be an amazing skill to pick up as you work.

Ciaran: Getting to test yourself in a different environment and that buzz of arriving somewhere new, where you don’t know anyone. I would say I'm quite confident so would revel in the opportunity to move abroad.

From all of us here at Think Global Recruitment we would like to wish Ciaran and Jessica the best of luck with the year ahead, we know they'll do great!

 

Erasmus and My Life in Europe

Having had the initial fears and thinking about every possibility that could go wrong, I took that plunge and boarded my train...

I, like many students of languages are offered the opportunity to live abroad for year. This is the amazing chance to emerge yourself in the language you are studying and gain a more in depth view at the culture and language.

I had the opportunity to live in Belgium for six months and Austria for a further six.

I had, embarking on a journey to live in a country I didn't know, to go to a university I had only recently begun to research. There was a certain rush of excitement, that sense of unknown and discovery that lay ahead.

I think the main challenges were faced in the initial weeks, the fear of not finding a place to stay, not knowing anyone and not knowing your way around. These quickly fade as you do inevitably find a solution to all these issues and before you know it, this new, scary life has become your norm.

Personally, the help of strangers and support from the university made it very easy to integrate. I quickly learned where the best pubs were, found a great social network and had settled into my new house.

In my situation there was the added element of the language barrier, however prepared I was for lectures back home didn't quite prepare me for the nuances of a native speakers, speaking in dialectal French..
 I was very fortunate to have been in a small town. The people there were friendly and the amusement of a Scotsman being in the town allowed me a certain leeway. I found on the whole that people were very accommodating and would take the time to help me understand and be understood. You get accustomed very quickly to the suddenly ever-present language and soon it is normal.

Having spent my six months in Belgium, I was feeling very settled into this life and had built up a very strong set of friendships. It was a strange thought that I would have to give all this up to start again in another country, with another language.. And as it turned out, another dialect, this time Austrian.

With this move came the change to a city, which in comparison to Belgium was huge and filled with distractions. Personally my German was always weaker and I definitely struggled to acclimatise. The one saving grace was that English was a bit more prevalent and being a touristy city, more widely used in the service industry, meaning my mistakes with the menu were few and far between.

Once again though, I had to set up my 'home', this time student accommodation., and try and establish a new circle of friends. Being a bigger city there were plenty of ways to meet new people and soon enough I found myself in that pleasant swing of things. With week after week passing quicker and quicker.

I was truly sad to leave that year by the end of it all. I had had my ups and downs, made a fool of myself linguistically and made new friends for life, bound by a common experience of life abroad.

In that year I saw a big transformation in my confidence. I had made that leap into the deep end and I found I could swim. University had previously been preparing me for talks about politics and the economy, which is very academic and sophisticated, however you realise that in the grand scheme of things that these aren't very useful if you are actually in the country and you can't think of the word for flea as your carpet starts to jump..

But all in all, the experience was rewarding and deeply fulfilling. My languages improved no end and I came back with an appreciation for new cultures, ways of life and I had gained independence and the ability to thrive in new situations.

So if you are thinking and worrying about life in a different country, don't. It may seem scary now but when you are living it it is fun and afterwards you will wonder why you ever worried at all.

Still to this day I would go back and live abroad in a heartbeat.

By Roger, Think Global Recruitment