If you’ve worked in audit, you’ve heard a million stories about people who have left the public accounting/auditing world for industry, in search of better pay and fewer hours. But how many accountants have you heard of who left for industry, rose up the ranks, and then left it all to go back to auditing (no doubt taking a reasonable pay cut in the process)? Meet Ruan … [Read more...] about Interview: This man went back to audit after 5 years in industry – would you?
Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s how to manage your workload better
Three things are certain in life:Death;taxes;and the fact that the more senior you get in a professional services firm, the more you’re going to feel overwhelmed by expectations that are seemingly flying at you from all angles. I’m sure you’ve guessed that this article is not going to be about death nor taxes. Indeed, it’s all about something that I find myself working … [Read more...] about Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s how to manage your workload better
Coaching: the thought that changed my entire perspective
I’ve always been a fan of good coaching, and ensuring that our teams in professional services maintain a good coaching culture. Despite this, a single sentence completely changed how I understood the importance of coaching: “One conversation can change a person’s life“ This is something that I first remember hearing on one of the leadership courses I was fortunate enough … [Read more...] about Coaching: the thought that changed my entire perspective
You and your firm: Are you getting as much as they’re taking?
It’s no secret that professional services firms - especially public accounting and law firms - demand a lot from their employees. It’s also common knowledge that, as a young professional working in these firms, you’re unlikely to be paid as much your friends who’ve gone out into industry. So why do people even bother working in professional services? They do it because there’s … [Read more...] about You and your firm: Are you getting as much as they’re taking?
How to move overseas and not hate your life
If you’re anything like me, a young professional working in a globally-recognised field, you’ve probably thought about uprooting your life and moving to a new country. With travel and broadening cultural horizons front of mind, moving overseas with work is a tantalising option. But there’s something that often keeps us from taking that leap of faith: fear. We fear failure. We … [Read more...] about How to move overseas and not hate your life
Searching for greener grass?
Note: This post was originally posted by the author on his personal blog last year. It is reposted here with his permission because we think it’s super relevant to all of you Trench Lifers! Over the last few years, I’ve found myself cautioning those who have left our office in search of something better. “Be careful,” I catch myself telling those who’ve voiced their … [Read more...] about Searching for greener grass?
Quote on letting things happen
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”― Leonardo da Vinci I must admit, I only happened upon (see what I did there?) this quote very recently but it really struck me as something so valid. We tend to invest so much energy in complaining about the system. … [Read more...] about Quote on letting things happen
How to get the performance reviews you deserve
If you’ve spent any time in a professional services firm, you’ll know that it’s a high-performance culture. You’ll also know that the trouble with that is everybody’s definition of “high performance” is different. Whether you’re a young attorney, auditor, consultant, or anything in between, you’ll be all too familiar with having regular performance reviews. Sometimes these … [Read more...] about How to get the performance reviews you deserve
The trick to telling someone they’re wrong
If you're working in any sort of professional services environment, chances are that you have to review other people's work. For those of us working as auditors, this is especially true; we are constantly looking at work done by our clients. More often than it should be, the work is wrong in some way. This means the chances are that you've had to tell someone they're wrong. … [Read more...] about The trick to telling someone they’re wrong
Anxiety and insecurity: The dark side of professional firms (A true story)
Insecurity and anxiety: these are two states of mind which everybody suffers to some degree. The unfortunate reality is that, within some of us, these feelings are amplified significantly. Sometimes, the feeling of anxiety can be crippling. You see, professional services firms - especially big 4 audit, or major law firms - are geared towards high performers; those high … [Read more...] about Anxiety and insecurity: The dark side of professional firms (A true story)