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!

 

Three days in Berlin...

I was delighted to win Think Global Recruitment’s free flights to Europe and set about deciding where to jet off to for a break. Work had been pretty crazy for a few weeks in the lead up so I was looking for a city to relax and enjoy some time off. A lot of my friends have been to Berlin recently and all had come back with great reviews so I decided this was the city for me. The team at Think Global Recruitment arranged all my travel and even threw in some spending money. Before I knew it, I had swapped long hours of frustration at my computer screen for a truly fascinating city to explore!

The biggest piece of advice I could give about visiting Berlin would be to do your research. Some familiarity with the public transport map makes moving around very easy. The city has some amazing, yet unassuming, bars and restaurants that we would easily have walked passed had we not read about them beforehand.

Thursday

When we arrived in Berlin Schönefeld Airport (SXF) we both bought 72-hour Berlin WelcomeCards (ABC). These gave us unlimited free access to all public transport around the city. Berlin’s public transport is superb. The U-Bahn (underground rail), S-Bahn (over-ground rail) trams and buses connect every corner of the city. The cards also gave us some nice discounts in museums and restaurants.

We made our way to our Airbnb in Mitte using a mix of the S-Bahn and the U-Bahn and found our host waiting at the door. Mitte is a good central location to stay and isn’t far from any of the main sites.

That night we went to the Freidrichstr station and found a place to eat. When we came out we noticed some guys heading through a gate which looked like it lead to private property. However we recognised the Crackers logo beside it from our research. We went in, through a pretty dingy alleyway (and the back kitchen!) to find a really cool and swanky cocktail bar.

On the way back to our apartment we went looking for another cocktail bar, Reingold. Google maps had directed us to what looked like an apartment block, with no sign of a bar at all except a doorbell on the wall. We went for it, pressed it, and two minutes later the barman had opened the huge steel door to let us into this amazing bar.

It suddenly became very clear what my friends had mentioned about some really nice places being easy to miss!

Friday

We started our second day with the New Berlin free walking tour which started at the Brandenburg Gate Starbucks at 10:00am. This lasted 2.5 hours and was a great way to get a sense of where the city’s main attractions were located such as the Reichstag, the Holocaust memorial, Checkpoint Charlie and the Topography of Terror. After lunch we went back to do some of these museums.

That night we headed for Hackescher Markt. There were an array of restaurants to suit all tastes and prices were very reasonable. We stumbled across another bar we’d heard of, Rivabar and spent the night sampling their finest concoctions.

Saturday

On Saturday we started with the alternative walking tour which began at the TVTower at 11:00am. This was a really good tour and there was no crossover with our previous one. It covered Berlin’s street art and quirky side.

Afterwards, we went down to East Side Gallery before heading back to Hackescher Markt for lunch. We went to Yosoy Tapas Bar and loved it.

Hackescher Markt is definitely my recommendation for food, we went back there again for dinner and drinks in the bars around there.

Sunday

Our flight home was at 6:00pm so we left our apartment and went to Alexanderplatz where we left our bags in one of the many pay-per-use lockers.

We went to the DDR Museum before heading back to the Reichstag Building and Brandenburg Gate. We didn’t have time to cover the Reichstag dome but that looked pretty cool. Be prepared though, as the queue for tickets is really long.

For lunch we went back to Yosoy and were delighted to find out that Sunday is all-you-can-eat tapas for under €10! Needless to say we spent a lot of time there enjoying the great food and wine before heading to the airport.

Overall

Berlin is a great city and I’d highly recommend it to everyone. There’s a lot to see and do so if you’re time there is short, some research and planning is key. Be prepared for the cold, temperatures were similar to Dublin but it felt much colder. There’s plenty of sights, museums and activities to suit all tastes and the restaurants and bars are superb. These, along with the city’s amazing public transport and general good vibe make it a very appealing option to live and work for a time. Berlin should be definitely be considered by anyone looking for a move abroad and indeed added to everyone’s bucket list!

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John won his flights on a 'refer a friend' scheme that we ran prior to our Worldwide Presentation in Dublin earlier this year.  If you are training for your CA qualification or have recently obtained it and would be interested in attending one of our events to hear about locations all over the world or want to know more about the prizes that Think Global Recruitment has on offer, get in touch with Emma: emaloy@thinkgr.com 

My First Week at Think Global Recruitment

By Katherine, our team's shiny new administrator

'I was very fortunate to get my break away from hospitality and even more fortunate that straight out of university I landed at Think Global Recruitment.

On my first day, nerves and excitement propelled me into the office where I was faced with a daunting challenge - remembering all my new colleagues names!

Faces bobbed up from their computers and desks as names were rattled off to me and though I was rubbish at remembering who was who, I did happily note how lovely and welcoming each of them were, and suddenly I wasn't so nervous!

After finally memorising names and tearing myself away from the beautiful views of Edinburgh that the penthouse office provides, I focused on mastering the computer systems and operational tasks that my new job in administration required.

The energy that is in the office is amazing, I am constantly enamored by how engaging, friendly and knowledgeable the consultants are!

I was surprised, as a recruitment office rookie, at the strength of commitment that the consultants have for their candidates and clients alike.  They really are like the Cupids of the international recruitment world, pairing candidates with their dream finance jobs in even dreamier locations.

Even in my role in administration I get to learn so much not just about recruitment but also about the world of finance. The amount that I have learned about both these industries in my first week is astounding and I love that there is so much more.

If I was looking to make an International move in the finance world I know who I would be contacting!
I really can't wait to see what lies ahead for a me in my new role and as well as watching Think Global Recruitment grow and continue to be the leader in International recruitment for financial professionals.'