1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:05,130 Maiki Lynch: Hey there, I'm Maiki Lynch and I'm an accountant. I know, 2 00:00:05,130 --> 00:00:07,080 Maiki Lynch: I know... I work with numbers, but I like to 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:11,370 Maiki Lynch: think I'm a people person too. However, unless you're an accountant, 4 00:00:11,460 --> 00:00:13,769 Maiki Lynch: or working in finance, or you are best mates with 5 00:00:13,770 --> 00:00:16,079 Maiki Lynch: someone who is, I bet I know what you're thinking... " 6 00:00:16,949 --> 00:00:19,470 Maiki Lynch: What do accountants actually do?" " Don't you have to be 7 00:00:19,470 --> 00:00:21,690 Maiki Lynch: really good at maths?" " What does it mean to work 8 00:00:21,690 --> 00:00:25,230 Maiki Lynch: in finance?" " Isn't it super boring and stressful and just 9 00:00:25,230 --> 00:00:28,589 Maiki Lynch: lots of messing around with spreadsheets?" Well, the thing is, 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,168 Maiki Lynch: we all do a lot of different things. We didn't 11 00:00:31,170 --> 00:00:34,139 Maiki Lynch: all win maths prizes at school. Many of us didn't 12 00:00:34,139 --> 00:00:37,290 Maiki Lynch: even go to uni, and we've all had our unique 13 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:41,129 Maiki Lynch: journeys to getting here. So, in this new series from ACCA, 14 00:00:41,370 --> 00:00:44,220 Maiki Lynch: I'm sitting down with some real- life accountants and people 15 00:00:44,220 --> 00:00:46,888 Maiki Lynch: who work in finance to bust some of the myths 16 00:00:46,889 --> 00:00:49,889 Maiki Lynch: that you might not even realist you believe about this 17 00:00:49,889 --> 00:00:52,859 Maiki Lynch: amazing career path. We'll be cracking open the core of 18 00:00:52,859 --> 00:00:55,380 Maiki Lynch: what it's actually like. From the happy moments - 19 00:00:55,470 --> 00:00:58,291 Angelika Cyrulinska: I cried, to be honest. I cried with happiness. 20 00:00:58,291 --> 00:00:59,430 Maiki Lynch: To the bumps in the road. 21 00:01:00,150 --> 00:01:01,380 Ravi Tanna: My confidence was really knocked. 22 00:01:01,470 --> 00:01:02,790 Maiki Lynch: And the silliness in between. 23 00:01:03,210 --> 00:01:06,480 Shaun Fenwick: Going out to t he tap room and drinking loads of 24 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:08,429 Shaun Fenwick: free beer, which is brilliant. 25 00:01:09,030 --> 00:01:13,708 Maiki Lynch: Welcome to By All Accounts. Now, I did my accountancy 26 00:01:13,740 --> 00:01:17,130 Maiki Lynch: training back in 2011, starting off working on the sales 27 00:01:17,130 --> 00:01:20,940 Maiki Lynch: ledger and progressing through to becoming a management accountant. And 28 00:01:20,940 --> 00:01:24,420 Maiki Lynch: even though I now work in education for ACCA, I 29 00:01:24,420 --> 00:01:26,970 Maiki Lynch: still remember the looks I got when I told people 30 00:01:27,030 --> 00:01:29,818 Maiki Lynch: that I was training to be an accountant. I'd say 31 00:01:29,819 --> 00:01:32,550 Maiki Lynch: the number one thing that went unsaid was, " Isn't that 32 00:01:32,550 --> 00:01:35,250 Maiki Lynch: going to be really boring?" So I found two people 33 00:01:35,250 --> 00:01:38,279 Maiki Lynch: who currently work in accounting and finance to ask, is 34 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:44,070 Maiki Lynch: your job really boring? First up, Angelika Cyrulinska. Welcome. 35 00:01:44,099 --> 00:01:44,549 Angelika Cyrulinska: Hiya. 36 00:01:44,700 --> 00:01:46,260 Maiki Lynch: And Remi Allen- Bond. Hello. 37 00:01:46,379 --> 00:01:47,821 Remi Allen-Bond: Hi. Nice to meet you. 38 00:01:47,821 --> 00:01:50,220 Maiki Lynch: So, what do you reckon? Is finance really boring? 39 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,040 Angelika Cyrulinska: I wouldn't say it's really boring. I would say, for example, 40 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,680 Angelika Cyrulinska: my current job, I'm involved in so many different things 41 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,669 Angelika Cyrulinska: that you wouldn't typically think an accountant would be involved with. 42 00:02:00,150 --> 00:02:03,270 Angelika Cyrulinska: And I think that is what makes my job fun 43 00:02:03,389 --> 00:02:05,580 Angelika Cyrulinska: on a daily basis - it's the reason why I will 44 00:02:05,580 --> 00:02:08,430 Angelika Cyrulinska: continue to be an accountant probably for the rest of ... 45 00:02:08,970 --> 00:02:09,361 Angelika Cyrulinska: Until I retire! 46 00:02:09,361 --> 00:02:09,362 Maiki Lynch: I was just about say that's quite a commitment there! 47 00:02:09,361 --> 00:02:13,831 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yeah, I know 48 00:02:13,831 --> 00:02:14,579 Maiki Lynch: Till death do we part! 49 00:02:14,610 --> 00:02:19,950 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yeah. Maybe not in the same position I'm at, but 50 00:02:20,490 --> 00:02:22,469 Angelika Cyrulinska: I don't think, when I first started, I imagined I'll 51 00:02:22,469 --> 00:02:24,449 Angelika Cyrulinska: be an accountant forever. I think I wanted to get 52 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:28,680 Angelika Cyrulinska: the qualification to open up a bit more opportunity for 53 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,739 Angelika Cyrulinska: myself. But, it wasn't until I started my current role 54 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,369 Angelika Cyrulinska: that I thought actually this isn't anything I expected. And 55 00:02:35,429 --> 00:02:38,070 Angelika Cyrulinska: I think that my job alone now opens even more 56 00:02:38,070 --> 00:02:42,959 Angelika Cyrulinska: opportunities to things that are not typical accountant roles, I guess. 57 00:02:43,020 --> 00:02:46,050 Maiki Lynch: Can I ask... you talk about what you perhaps expected 58 00:02:46,050 --> 00:02:47,970 Maiki Lynch: it to be. Did you expect that it was going 59 00:02:47,970 --> 00:02:49,410 Maiki Lynch: to be boring, potentially? 60 00:02:49,650 --> 00:02:51,900 Angelika Cyrulinska: I did. I thought it was going to be a 61 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:55,980 Angelika Cyrulinska: lot of data entry and Excel spreadsheets and that's all 62 00:02:55,980 --> 00:03:01,350 Angelika Cyrulinska: the job entailed. But, I think when I first started 63 00:03:01,350 --> 00:03:06,900 Angelika Cyrulinska: my job as an auditor, it was more just analyzing data, 64 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:11,400 Angelika Cyrulinska: drawing conclusions from the data and then applying it to decision- making, 65 00:03:11,790 --> 00:03:14,940 Angelika Cyrulinska: which I obviously didn't expect. I definitely thought it was not going to 66 00:03:14,940 --> 00:03:18,180 Angelika Cyrulinska: be the funnest job. And definitely when I tell people 67 00:03:18,180 --> 00:03:20,910 Angelika Cyrulinska: I'm an accountant, I get some funny looks like, " Oh, 68 00:03:20,910 --> 00:03:23,850 Angelika Cyrulinska: you must be a fun person to be around!" I 69 00:03:23,850 --> 00:03:26,790 Angelika Cyrulinska: think people have an expectation of what you're like. But, 70 00:03:26,790 --> 00:03:29,639 Angelika Cyrulinska: I wouldn't say that's true at all, based off myself 71 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:30,418 Angelika Cyrulinska: and my friends. 72 00:03:30,540 --> 00:03:32,610 Maiki Lynch: Remi, if I can just bring you into the conversation 73 00:03:32,610 --> 00:03:35,700 Maiki Lynch: about is it boring? Do you think finance is boring? 74 00:03:36,270 --> 00:03:38,820 Remi Allen-Bond: Not at all. No. I think like Angelika was saying there, 75 00:03:38,850 --> 00:03:43,200 Remi Allen-Bond: it is massively varied. So, my journey in finance, I've 76 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,369 Remi Allen-Bond: done three different roles in the past four- ish years, 77 00:03:47,790 --> 00:03:52,439 Remi Allen-Bond: from your day- to- day corporate accounting reporting to working 78 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,370 Remi Allen-Bond: in treasury for a bank, to working in strategy, corporate development. 79 00:03:56,790 --> 00:03:59,130 Remi Allen-Bond: And all of those I've been able to do because 80 00:03:59,340 --> 00:04:01,890 Remi Allen-Bond: I trained as an accountant. So, I think there's a 81 00:04:01,890 --> 00:04:06,690 Remi Allen-Bond: lot more to accounting and to accountancy qualifications than just 82 00:04:06,690 --> 00:04:10,559 Remi Allen-Bond: do an accounting, necessarily. So, even if accounting isn't for 83 00:04:10,559 --> 00:04:12,539 Remi Allen-Bond: you, there are still many, many things that you can do with 84 00:04:12,539 --> 00:04:14,279 Remi Allen-Bond: it outside of core accounting. 85 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,710 Maiki Lynch: I love to hear that and I completely agree with 86 00:04:16,740 --> 00:04:19,770 Maiki Lynch: what you both said about the breadth of roles that 87 00:04:19,770 --> 00:04:22,139 Maiki Lynch: can be offered. Angelika, I wonder if I can come 88 00:04:22,139 --> 00:04:25,500 Maiki Lynch: back to you. Where are you working at the moment and 89 00:04:25,500 --> 00:04:27,059 Maiki Lynch: what is it that your job entails? 90 00:04:27,059 --> 00:04:29,639 Angelika Cyrulinska: So, at the moment I work at Mercedes- Benz as 91 00:04:29,639 --> 00:04:32,789 Angelika Cyrulinska: a finance business partner. And my two areas that I 92 00:04:32,790 --> 00:04:36,719 Angelika Cyrulinska: look after is investments and facilities. So, I basically look 93 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:41,279 Angelika Cyrulinska: at the projects that we invest our money into and 94 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:46,049 Angelika Cyrulinska: also the costs of running our building and stuff like that. So, 95 00:04:46,199 --> 00:04:48,600 Angelika Cyrulinska: I work with a lot of my business partners to 96 00:04:48,870 --> 00:04:53,250 Angelika Cyrulinska: see how we can work more efficiently and to save 97 00:04:53,250 --> 00:04:56,099 Angelika Cyrulinska: costs where we can, but still get the same quality. 98 00:04:56,220 --> 00:04:59,010 Maiki Lynch: That's fantastic and that sounds like a very exciting workplace. 99 00:04:59,610 --> 00:05:02,339 Maiki Lynch: What reaction do you normally get when people ask you 100 00:05:02,339 --> 00:05:02,580 Maiki Lynch: where you work and what you do? 101 00:05:02,581 --> 00:05:06,720 Angelika Cyrulinska: People are quite surprised that I work at Mercedes. I think 102 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:08,910 Angelika Cyrulinska: a lot of people expect you to work for an 103 00:05:08,910 --> 00:05:12,300 Angelika Cyrulinska: accountancy practice. I think a lot of my friends, initially 104 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:15,450 Angelika Cyrulinska: when I said I was an accountant, people come to 105 00:05:15,450 --> 00:05:20,428 Angelika Cyrulinska: me with tax questions quite often. So, I think people 106 00:05:20,428 --> 00:05:23,580 Angelika Cyrulinska: don't necessarily take into account that you can work for 107 00:05:23,910 --> 00:05:27,719 Angelika Cyrulinska: so many different industries. And, if you're interested in something, 108 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,510 Angelika Cyrulinska: you can work in that industry, whether that's music or 109 00:05:30,510 --> 00:05:33,539 Angelika Cyrulinska: fashion or cars, for example. You can go into that 110 00:05:33,540 --> 00:05:36,570 Angelika Cyrulinska: industry still and work in the finance section. 111 00:05:36,599 --> 00:05:38,460 Maiki Lynch: Do you like it? And if you do, what do 112 00:05:38,460 --> 00:05:39,150 Maiki Lynch: you like about it? 113 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,429 Angelika Cyrulinska: I do really like it. I like the people I 114 00:05:41,430 --> 00:05:44,700 Angelika Cyrulinska: get to work with. I get to work with and 115 00:05:44,700 --> 00:05:48,360 Angelika Cyrulinska: collaborate with many people throughout the business that are doing 116 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,659 Angelika Cyrulinska: different things that aren't anything finance- related. And I really 117 00:05:51,660 --> 00:05:55,710 Angelika Cyrulinska: enjoy talking to them and being able to have an 118 00:05:55,710 --> 00:05:59,309 Angelika Cyrulinska: insight into... not the finance sector I guess, which I 119 00:05:59,309 --> 00:06:02,370 Angelika Cyrulinska: deal with, but also their challenges and what they're looking 120 00:06:02,370 --> 00:06:05,580 Angelika Cyrulinska: to do and then help them and have an input. 121 00:06:05,790 --> 00:06:07,738 Maiki Lynch: So, you're working with lots of different teams throughout the 122 00:06:07,740 --> 00:06:11,219 Maiki Lynch: organization who aren't necessarily your finance function at Mercedes? 123 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:11,549 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yep. 124 00:06:11,790 --> 00:06:13,529 Maiki Lynch: Remi, I'd like to come to you and just to hear about 125 00:06:13,529 --> 00:06:14,940 Maiki Lynch: your job. Can you tell us where you work and what it is that you do? 126 00:06:14,940 --> 00:06:21,180 Remi Allen-Bond: So, I work for Santander UK in their Strategy and Corporate Development 127 00:06:21,180 --> 00:06:24,930 Remi Allen-Bond: team. So, what that means, we have essentially three main 128 00:06:24,930 --> 00:06:28,109 Remi Allen-Bond: roles. The first one is determining the bank's long- term 129 00:06:28,110 --> 00:06:32,099 Remi Allen-Bond: strategy. A second part is corporate development, which is your 130 00:06:32,099 --> 00:06:33,868 Remi Allen-Bond: typical mergers and acquisitions. 131 00:06:34,170 --> 00:06:34,320 Maiki Lynch: Lovely. 132 00:06:34,410 --> 00:06:39,000 Remi Allen-Bond: And then the third part is strategic projects. That's like 133 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:40,050 Remi Allen-Bond: your internal consultants. 134 00:06:40,290 --> 00:06:42,870 Maiki Lynch: How did you get there? I know that so many 135 00:06:42,870 --> 00:06:45,959 Maiki Lynch: people perhaps who are listening, they may be thinking, " Gosh, 136 00:06:46,170 --> 00:06:48,660 Maiki Lynch: I'd love to have that job." How did you get there? 137 00:06:48,750 --> 00:06:52,020 Remi Allen-Bond: So, most of my team have backgrounds in either investment 138 00:06:52,020 --> 00:06:56,308 Remi Allen-Bond: banking or in consultancy. The way I got there was a 139 00:06:56,310 --> 00:07:00,180 Remi Allen-Bond: bit different. So, I did a graduate program at Santander 140 00:07:00,690 --> 00:07:04,259 Remi Allen-Bond: after finishing uni. So, I went through a few rotations 141 00:07:04,380 --> 00:07:07,229 Remi Allen-Bond: on the grad scheme. And in my third year my 142 00:07:07,230 --> 00:07:10,619 Remi Allen-Bond: rotation was in that team. And I guess I impressed 143 00:07:10,619 --> 00:07:12,629 Remi Allen-Bond: them while there, because they decided to keep me when 144 00:07:12,629 --> 00:07:14,910 Remi Allen-Bond: their scheme finally ended and I'm still there now. 145 00:07:15,030 --> 00:07:18,900 Maiki Lynch: Congratulations. So, you got to try out different areas of 146 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:20,340 Maiki Lynch: the business when you're saying rotations- 147 00:07:20,340 --> 00:07:20,610 Remi Allen-Bond: Exactly. 148 00:07:20,610 --> 00:07:23,160 Maiki Lynch: You got to try out different areas. And this particular 149 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,050 Maiki Lynch: area that you were working in, it was a good fit? 150 00:07:25,050 --> 00:07:26,011 Remi Allen-Bond: It was a good fit. Precisely. Yeah. 151 00:07:26,011 --> 00:07:29,219 Maiki Lynch: And how do people react when you say you work 152 00:07:29,219 --> 00:07:30,239 Maiki Lynch: in finance, that you are a chartered accountant? 153 00:07:31,710 --> 00:07:33,570 Remi Allen-Bond: Like Angelika said, they asked me to do taxes for 154 00:07:33,570 --> 00:07:38,579 Remi Allen-Bond: them, is the most common response! But, no. They're generally impressed because 155 00:07:38,580 --> 00:07:41,070 Remi Allen-Bond: it is a recognized profession worldwide. 156 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:42,900 Maiki Lynch: And is that what attracted you to the profession? 157 00:07:43,020 --> 00:07:46,170 Remi Allen-Bond: So, what attracted me then was one, yeah. Of course, 158 00:07:46,350 --> 00:07:49,320 Remi Allen-Bond: it's recognized. There's a certain, I suppose, respect in having 159 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,930 Remi Allen-Bond: done it and recognition in having done it. I think 160 00:07:51,930 --> 00:07:55,710 Remi Allen-Bond: also just being wholly pragmatic. If we look at salaries 161 00:07:55,710 --> 00:07:59,489 Remi Allen-Bond: and salary growth over the past few years, especially, finance 162 00:07:59,790 --> 00:08:02,310 Remi Allen-Bond: has been one of the few sectors in the UK 163 00:08:02,820 --> 00:08:05,910 Remi Allen-Bond: that has seen consistent strong salary growth. So, in terms 164 00:08:05,910 --> 00:08:07,739 Remi Allen-Bond: of a long- term career, it's a very good one to be in. 165 00:08:07,739 --> 00:08:11,520 Maiki Lynch: I completely understand where you're coming from there. Angelika, I 166 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,080 Maiki Lynch: wonder if I can come to you. What were your 167 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:14,371 Maiki Lynch: reasons for going into finance? 168 00:08:14,371 --> 00:08:19,290 Angelika Cyrulinska: I guess I was a bit similar with the money aspect. 169 00:08:19,380 --> 00:08:23,279 Angelika Cyrulinska: That seemed quite attractive to me. But, also I quite 170 00:08:23,279 --> 00:08:27,960 Angelika Cyrulinska: liked problem solving and it all came about because I 171 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:32,250 Angelika Cyrulinska: worked in retail during my gap year and I did 172 00:08:32,460 --> 00:08:35,940 Angelika Cyrulinska: some back- of- house admin stuff and looking into unusual 173 00:08:35,940 --> 00:08:39,240 Angelika Cyrulinska: transactions, etc. And that's what made me think that I 174 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,120 Angelika Cyrulinska: would be good at audit, which was my first job 175 00:08:42,150 --> 00:08:44,460 Angelika Cyrulinska: doing accountancy, I guess. So, I guess a bit of 176 00:08:44,460 --> 00:08:46,710 Angelika Cyrulinska: both. I thought money and then I thought I would 177 00:08:46,710 --> 00:08:47,430 Angelika Cyrulinska: enjoy it as well. 178 00:08:47,490 --> 00:08:49,980 Maiki Lynch: What is audit? I sometimes think of it as a little 179 00:08:49,980 --> 00:08:53,820 Maiki Lynch: bit like detective work. But, how would you define audit 180 00:08:53,820 --> 00:08:54,839 Maiki Lynch: or what do you think audit is? 181 00:08:55,469 --> 00:08:57,960 Angelika Cyrulinska: I guess it is a bit of that. It's basically 182 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:01,348 Angelika Cyrulinska: just going to a business and making sure their financial 183 00:09:01,350 --> 00:09:05,189 Angelika Cyrulinska: records are reflecting what they should be reflecting and the 184 00:09:05,190 --> 00:09:08,670 Angelika Cyrulinska: figures are correct and accurate. And I guess a lot 185 00:09:08,670 --> 00:09:13,050 Angelika Cyrulinska: of it is kind of questioning some of the judgments 186 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,679 Angelika Cyrulinska: the finance department in the certain business have made. It 187 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,559 Angelika Cyrulinska: was a little bit daunting at first going into a 188 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,710 Angelika Cyrulinska: business as an audit junior and questioning people that have 189 00:09:22,710 --> 00:09:26,400 Angelika Cyrulinska: been an accountant for 20- plus years, being like finance 190 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:30,779 Angelika Cyrulinska: directors and questioning them on I guess their judgments and 191 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,330 Angelika Cyrulinska: what the figures are representing, et cetera. 192 00:09:33,389 --> 00:09:36,419 Maiki Lynch: So, you came out of retail and you moved into 193 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:38,880 Maiki Lynch: audit? Can you tell us a little bit about what 194 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,130 Maiki Lynch: you did at that particular point as your entry role 195 00:09:41,130 --> 00:09:44,850 Maiki Lynch: into accountancy? And perhaps any study that went along with that? 196 00:09:44,970 --> 00:09:48,270 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yeah. Sure. So I started on a school- leavers program, 197 00:09:48,780 --> 00:09:51,210 Angelika Cyrulinska: the same as an apprenticeship, I guess, for a practice. 198 00:09:51,210 --> 00:09:53,728 Angelika Cyrulinska: They did audit and accounts, but I was mostly in 199 00:09:53,730 --> 00:09:58,500 Angelika Cyrulinska: the audit department. I left the practice, because I wanted 200 00:09:58,500 --> 00:10:03,150 Angelika Cyrulinska: to focus more on some accounts and tax work, which 201 00:10:03,150 --> 00:10:06,150 Angelika Cyrulinska: I wasn't exposed to very much at the time. So, 202 00:10:06,150 --> 00:10:08,370 Angelika Cyrulinska: then I moved into a smaller practice to do just 203 00:10:08,370 --> 00:10:12,149 Angelika Cyrulinska: that. And then, when the time came up, I built up my confidence 204 00:10:12,150 --> 00:10:15,120 Angelika Cyrulinska: dealing with clients, et cetera. The job at Mercedes came 205 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,840 Angelika Cyrulinska: up as a financial accountant, which is what I originally 206 00:10:18,870 --> 00:10:21,030 Angelika Cyrulinska: started with. And then, obviously, now I'm here in my 207 00:10:21,030 --> 00:10:25,110 Angelika Cyrulinska: current role. But, I then started my ACCA and then 208 00:10:25,170 --> 00:10:28,620 Angelika Cyrulinska: it took me around three years to do ACCA. So, 209 00:10:28,740 --> 00:10:30,960 Angelika Cyrulinska: all in all, it took me about five years to 210 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,870 Angelika Cyrulinska: go from nothing to being qualified. 211 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:34,710 Maiki Lynch: So you're qualified- 212 00:10:35,001 --> 00:10:35,910 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yes. I'm qualified now- 213 00:10:36,270 --> 00:10:36,569 Maiki Lynch: qualified? 214 00:10:36,780 --> 00:10:39,509 Angelika Cyrulinska: Recently. Not too long ago, actually. I got my results 215 00:10:39,510 --> 00:10:40,139 Angelika Cyrulinska: in October. 216 00:10:40,380 --> 00:10:41,189 Maiki Lynch: Oh, congratulations. 217 00:10:41,460 --> 00:10:41,910 Angelika Cyrulinska: Thank you. 218 00:10:41,910 --> 00:10:42,809 Maiki Lynch: Congratulations. 219 00:10:42,809 --> 00:10:42,809 Angelika Cyrulinska: Thank you. 220 00:10:42,809 --> 00:10:46,049 Maiki Lynch: How did you feel when you passed, when you'd realized that 221 00:10:46,139 --> 00:10:49,710 Maiki Lynch: after five years of study it's all done? It's all done and you're chartered? 222 00:10:49,710 --> 00:10:52,620 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yeah. So I wasn't as cool about it. I wasn't very 223 00:10:52,620 --> 00:10:57,090 Angelika Cyrulinska: confident. So, I cried to be honest. I cried with 224 00:10:57,090 --> 00:10:59,849 Angelika Cyrulinska: happiness. I was really, really happy, because I wasn't expecting 225 00:10:59,849 --> 00:11:02,519 Angelika Cyrulinska: to pass my last exam. I have passed all the 226 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:05,910 Angelika Cyrulinska: other ones first time, luckily. But, the last exam I 227 00:11:05,910 --> 00:11:09,088 Angelika Cyrulinska: felt was so tough. I really wasn't expecting to pass. 228 00:11:09,090 --> 00:11:11,098 Angelika Cyrulinska: And when the results came through and I actually did 229 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:14,639 Angelika Cyrulinska: quite well, I just felt just all the relief. And 230 00:11:14,639 --> 00:11:18,059 Angelika Cyrulinska: just five years of work just paid off in that 231 00:11:18,059 --> 00:11:19,769 Angelika Cyrulinska: moment. I just felt really, really good. 232 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,098 Maiki Lynch: That's fantastic. And I can see you just glowing, just 233 00:11:23,100 --> 00:11:27,328 Maiki Lynch: reliving that moment right there. And now that you are 234 00:11:27,330 --> 00:11:30,780 Maiki Lynch: qualified, do you feel it's turned out how you expected? 235 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,630 Angelika Cyrulinska: I guess yes and no. I don't know. I built 236 00:11:33,630 --> 00:11:36,030 Angelika Cyrulinska: it up in my head so much that I didn't 237 00:11:36,030 --> 00:11:38,549 Angelika Cyrulinska: really know what to expect. I was just looking forward 238 00:11:38,549 --> 00:11:42,179 Angelika Cyrulinska: to the end of my exams and just having all 239 00:11:42,179 --> 00:11:44,699 Angelika Cyrulinska: that extra time, because I feel like after school I 240 00:11:44,700 --> 00:11:46,858 Angelika Cyrulinska: had my gap year and then I went straight into 241 00:11:46,860 --> 00:11:50,879 Angelika Cyrulinska: studying again. But then, in the other aspect is I 242 00:11:50,940 --> 00:11:53,700 Angelika Cyrulinska: feel like I'm more confident in my role now. I 243 00:11:53,700 --> 00:11:55,920 Angelika Cyrulinska: feel like I have got more knowledge than I did 244 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,338 Angelika Cyrulinska: before. Thinking back to the audit junior days, where I 245 00:11:59,340 --> 00:12:02,940 Angelika Cyrulinska: was a little bit clueless, now to actually being able 246 00:12:02,940 --> 00:12:05,640 Angelika Cyrulinska: to do and explain what I'm doing to others. 247 00:12:05,940 --> 00:12:10,589 Maiki Lynch: And so, you've moved through so many different bits of 248 00:12:10,590 --> 00:12:13,049 Maiki Lynch: the various roles that you can have within accounting, finance, 249 00:12:13,049 --> 00:12:15,870 Maiki Lynch: even within such a short time. Do you feel that 250 00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:20,520 Maiki Lynch: there's room for creativity? I don't want to say " creative accountancy." That's not 251 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,070 Maiki Lynch: what I'm saying. But, do you feel that there's room 252 00:12:23,070 --> 00:12:25,860 Maiki Lynch: for creativity in your role as a finance business partner, in 253 00:12:25,860 --> 00:12:28,349 Maiki Lynch: what you are doing in Mercedes and working with all the various 254 00:12:28,349 --> 00:12:29,280 Maiki Lynch: teams that they have? 255 00:12:29,639 --> 00:12:32,790 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yeah. Definitely. I think we always have to think outside 256 00:12:32,790 --> 00:12:35,249 Angelika Cyrulinska: the box of how we can be the most efficient 257 00:12:35,250 --> 00:12:38,190 Angelika Cyrulinska: we can and cut costs. And when I collaborate with 258 00:12:38,190 --> 00:12:41,550 Angelika Cyrulinska: my business partners and they have ideas of how they 259 00:12:41,550 --> 00:12:43,980 Angelika Cyrulinska: want to carry out the business, I can then look 260 00:12:43,980 --> 00:12:48,359 Angelika Cyrulinska: into the financials. And we can consider multiple options, compare 261 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:51,389 Angelika Cyrulinska: how much is it going to cost us? What benefits 262 00:12:51,389 --> 00:12:53,039 Angelika Cyrulinska: are we going to get? And sometimes it takes a 263 00:12:53,039 --> 00:12:54,750 Angelika Cyrulinska: lot of outside- the- box thinking. 264 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:56,309 Maiki Lynch: I think that leverages on some of the things that you 265 00:12:56,309 --> 00:12:58,679 Maiki Lynch: mentioned that you enjoyed earlier on in your career and that 266 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:02,340 Maiki Lynch: you realized that you had those skills for problem- solving 267 00:13:03,210 --> 00:13:05,670 Maiki Lynch: essentially, and coming up with those ideas and sharing them 268 00:13:05,670 --> 00:13:07,860 Maiki Lynch: within the business. Remi, I want to come back to 269 00:13:07,860 --> 00:13:09,870 Maiki Lynch: you. Would you say the job has turned out how 270 00:13:09,870 --> 00:13:10,650 Maiki Lynch: you expected? 271 00:13:10,710 --> 00:13:14,250 Remi Allen-Bond: I would say so, yes. I didn't really go in with 272 00:13:14,429 --> 00:13:18,240 Remi Allen-Bond: a vision of how it would be in the end. The 273 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,578 Remi Allen-Bond: kind of role I'm doing now is what I wanted 274 00:13:20,580 --> 00:13:23,339 Remi Allen-Bond: to do when I first joined them, but didn't know it actually 275 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:25,319 Remi Allen-Bond: had a name. I didn't know that my actual current 276 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,010 Remi Allen-Bond: role was actually a role that existed. So, it turned 277 00:13:29,010 --> 00:13:31,050 Remi Allen-Bond: out as I hoped it would, but not really as 278 00:13:31,050 --> 00:13:31,770 Remi Allen-Bond: I'd expected it would. 279 00:13:32,489 --> 00:13:36,390 Maiki Lynch: That's interesting. Would you say that there's space for creativity 280 00:13:36,390 --> 00:13:36,780 Maiki Lynch: in what you are doing? 281 00:13:38,309 --> 00:13:42,958 Remi Allen-Bond: 100%. My role is so massively varied in what we 282 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,020 Remi Allen-Bond: do. No two projects are going to be the same. 283 00:13:46,170 --> 00:13:48,900 Remi Allen-Bond: Every year the strategy evolves. The thing I like about it 284 00:13:48,900 --> 00:13:53,610 Remi Allen-Bond: most is the variety involved in it and the need 285 00:13:53,610 --> 00:13:56,490 Remi Allen-Bond: to adapt. I didn't want to have a role where 286 00:13:56,910 --> 00:14:00,030 Remi Allen-Bond: it was monotonous, or where there was too much routine 287 00:14:00,030 --> 00:14:03,299 Remi Allen-Bond: involved. I wanted a role that challenged me to come to work 288 00:14:03,299 --> 00:14:05,879 Remi Allen-Bond: each day and not quite know what's going to happen, 289 00:14:06,719 --> 00:14:08,819 Remi Allen-Bond: which is what I get now. Don't get me wrong, 290 00:14:08,910 --> 00:14:13,679 Remi Allen-Bond: that there are roles and people do enjoy roles where, say, 291 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,858 Remi Allen-Bond: it could be monthly cycles or that stuff and that 292 00:14:16,860 --> 00:14:19,380 Remi Allen-Bond: is fine. I've done those as well and they were 293 00:14:19,380 --> 00:14:21,870 Remi Allen-Bond: fun and in different way, because you were able to 294 00:14:22,379 --> 00:14:26,070 Remi Allen-Bond: perfect a task. But, I personally like the challenge of 295 00:14:26,070 --> 00:14:26,701 Remi Allen-Bond: the ad hoc nature of my current role. 296 00:14:26,701 --> 00:14:30,240 Maiki Lynch: I really like the way you explained that, the point 297 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,120 Maiki Lynch: in your career when you're acquiring those skills, you are 298 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:37,529 Maiki Lynch: perfecting that particular task. You are acquiring that skill and 299 00:14:37,590 --> 00:14:39,599 Maiki Lynch: I guess you're at a point now where you've moved 300 00:14:39,599 --> 00:14:42,990 Maiki Lynch: on and you're able to deal with change, basically. Change 301 00:14:42,990 --> 00:14:46,500 Maiki Lynch: that's happening and change that's happening faster than perhaps it's 302 00:14:46,500 --> 00:14:49,650 Maiki Lynch: ever happened before. So, Angelika, can you tell us a 303 00:14:49,650 --> 00:14:53,639 Maiki Lynch: little bit more about the lifestyle that this career path 304 00:14:53,639 --> 00:14:54,270 Maiki Lynch: has given you? 305 00:14:54,389 --> 00:14:58,109 Angelika Cyrulinska: I feel like there's definitely some perks from, especially my 306 00:14:58,139 --> 00:15:00,780 Angelika Cyrulinska: current job at the moment. For example, now in my 307 00:15:00,780 --> 00:15:04,200 Angelika Cyrulinska: current role, I get to drive one of the Mercedes cars, 308 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:08,040 Angelika Cyrulinska: so that's part of a, I guess, staff reward scheme 309 00:15:08,099 --> 00:15:13,049 Angelika Cyrulinska: where I basically get given a car to drive and experience. So, 310 00:15:13,049 --> 00:15:16,109 Angelika Cyrulinska: it's significantly cheaper. I'd definitely not be able to afford 311 00:15:16,109 --> 00:15:19,050 Angelika Cyrulinska: to get the same car I drive now if I 312 00:15:19,050 --> 00:15:23,730 Angelika Cyrulinska: was to buy it, for example. So, yeah. That definitely helps, 313 00:15:23,730 --> 00:15:25,890 Angelika Cyrulinska: especially that I really like the cars! 314 00:15:28,110 --> 00:15:30,990 Maiki Lynch: I suspected you may do, if you work for Mercedes. It 315 00:15:30,990 --> 00:15:33,839 Maiki Lynch: would be a perk if you were enthusiastic about the 316 00:15:33,839 --> 00:15:34,679 Maiki Lynch: car industry. 317 00:15:34,740 --> 00:15:35,160 Angelika Cyrulinska: Yeah. 318 00:15:36,570 --> 00:15:38,609 Maiki Lynch: Remi, also coming to you. Can you talk to us a 319 00:15:38,610 --> 00:15:43,020 Maiki Lynch: little bit about the lifestyle that choosing accounting and finance 320 00:15:43,020 --> 00:15:43,530 Maiki Lynch: has giving you? 321 00:15:43,650 --> 00:15:45,120 Remi Allen-Bond: Well, no free cars, unfortunately. 322 00:15:45,870 --> 00:15:46,111 Maiki Lynch: Sad times. 323 00:15:46,111 --> 00:15:50,580 Remi Allen-Bond: I know. So, I think that a lot of finance firms, banks 324 00:15:50,580 --> 00:15:53,789 Remi Allen-Bond: specifically, do reward their people quite well and do treat 325 00:15:53,789 --> 00:15:57,720 Remi Allen-Bond: them quite well. Speaking solely from Santander, it's all 326 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,080 Remi Allen-Bond: very nice. The salary we've touched on already, is good 327 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:04,980 Remi Allen-Bond: for the industry. There are other perks, pension providing, tons of annual 328 00:16:04,980 --> 00:16:10,409 Remi Allen-Bond: leave. Then there's other things like annual bonuses, which is 329 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:13,890 Remi Allen-Bond: additional funding, company car schemes. So, there's a lot of 330 00:16:13,890 --> 00:16:17,250 Remi Allen-Bond: things there, which all adds to the bottom line individually. 331 00:16:17,430 --> 00:16:20,279 Maiki Lynch: I want to ask you, are careers in accountancy and 332 00:16:20,279 --> 00:16:24,271 Maiki Lynch: finance boring and uncreative therefore? And how do you feel? 333 00:16:24,271 --> 00:16:28,949 Remi Allen-Bond: I feel like that is a wholly undeserved stereotype. And I 334 00:16:28,949 --> 00:16:31,920 Remi Allen-Bond: say that, because if you look at even just Angelika 335 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:40,320 Remi Allen-Bond: and me, our roles are both in accountancy and finance, but wholly different roles. And both require creativity 336 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:40,830 Remi Allen-Bond: to do them. 337 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:42,899 Maiki Lynch: Angelika, can I come to you just to hear your thoughts 338 00:16:42,900 --> 00:16:43,589 Maiki Lynch: on that question? 339 00:16:43,650 --> 00:16:47,129 Angelika Cyrulinska: I completely agree. I think there's so much variety in 340 00:16:47,129 --> 00:16:50,040 Angelika Cyrulinska: what accountancy and finance is and you can pretty much 341 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,300 Angelika Cyrulinska: make of it what you want. You can definitely personalize 342 00:16:54,300 --> 00:16:56,730 Angelika Cyrulinska: it to yourself and what you're interested in. 343 00:16:56,820 --> 00:16:58,500 Maiki Lynch: I agree. And I think you both work in some 344 00:16:58,500 --> 00:17:02,880 Maiki Lynch: very exciting industries. And I like that you've also recognized that 345 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,699 Maiki Lynch: there's the opportunity to move about, to move from one 346 00:17:05,699 --> 00:17:08,668 Maiki Lynch: industry to another, from banking to cars. And so, I 347 00:17:08,670 --> 00:17:12,720 Maiki Lynch: guess my last, question for you, Angelika, what advice would 348 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,138 Maiki Lynch: you give someone perhaps who's listening now, who's considering a 349 00:17:16,138 --> 00:17:18,810 Maiki Lynch: career in accounting and finance. What advice would you give them? 350 00:17:18,900 --> 00:17:21,779 Angelika Cyrulinska: I would probably say to do a bit of research 351 00:17:21,780 --> 00:17:25,168 Angelika Cyrulinska: into what does interest you the most. And if you 352 00:17:25,170 --> 00:17:27,270 Angelika Cyrulinska: don't have a complete plan of where you want to 353 00:17:27,270 --> 00:17:30,060 Angelika Cyrulinska: end up in a few years time, that's fine. But, 354 00:17:30,060 --> 00:17:33,119 Angelika Cyrulinska: I think looking into the type of accounting and finance 355 00:17:33,388 --> 00:17:36,629 Angelika Cyrulinska: that you want to do helps. And I think then 356 00:17:36,690 --> 00:17:40,019 Angelika Cyrulinska: if you know any accountants, then also talk to them 357 00:17:40,020 --> 00:17:44,700 Angelika Cyrulinska: and what they've experienced in their life. But also, there's 358 00:17:44,700 --> 00:17:48,629 Angelika Cyrulinska: so much stuff online that you can find nowadays, of people 359 00:17:48,630 --> 00:17:53,130 Angelika Cyrulinska: sharing their experiences. And also career fairs and stuff like 360 00:17:53,130 --> 00:17:56,460 Angelika Cyrulinska: that. I know ACCA did one not that long ago as well. 361 00:17:56,790 --> 00:18:00,840 Angelika Cyrulinska: So just attending them and finding out, I guess, more 362 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:04,020 Angelika Cyrulinska: about the profession, because I think it does take a 363 00:18:04,020 --> 00:18:08,428 Angelika Cyrulinska: lot of commitment to get to a qualified position, I 364 00:18:08,429 --> 00:18:12,299 Angelika Cyrulinska: guess. So, that's what I would say. But just probably 365 00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:14,850 Angelika Cyrulinska: do a bit of research into what you'd be interested in. 366 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:18,388 Maiki Lynch: Thank you. I think that's really sound advice. Remi, coming to you 367 00:18:18,388 --> 00:18:20,010 Maiki Lynch: just with the same question. 368 00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:22,859 Remi Allen-Bond: Yeah. So again, I'd echo first of all, do a 369 00:18:22,859 --> 00:18:25,470 Remi Allen-Bond: bit of research. Speak to someone who's in the industry 370 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,790 Remi Allen-Bond: and see do they like it? I think that if 371 00:18:29,820 --> 00:18:33,178 Remi Allen-Bond: you can join a rotational scheme, like a grad scheme, 372 00:18:33,450 --> 00:18:35,938 Remi Allen-Bond: that's a great option, because it gives you ... It's built 373 00:18:35,940 --> 00:18:38,340 Remi Allen-Bond: in that you'll have opportunities to look at different areas 374 00:18:38,670 --> 00:18:41,670 Remi Allen-Bond: within accountancy and finance as part of that program. So, 375 00:18:41,670 --> 00:18:44,910 Remi Allen-Bond: you'll have the chance to see... to try this and try 376 00:18:44,910 --> 00:18:48,030 Remi Allen-Bond: that and say, "Oh, I like this, not that." And that can help you decide where you want 377 00:18:48,030 --> 00:18:50,938 Remi Allen-Bond: to end up in the long term. The second thing that I'd 378 00:18:51,089 --> 00:18:55,260 Remi Allen-Bond: say, or I suppose third thing now, is if you can join, 379 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:59,490 Remi Allen-Bond: then even join doing something that's quite straightforward or more 380 00:18:59,580 --> 00:19:04,080 Remi Allen-Bond: entry level, like say just financial reporting, financial accounting, because 381 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,198 Remi Allen-Bond: that will give you a good basis of what the 382 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:11,190 Remi Allen-Bond: industry actually is. It'll introduce you to other business areas 383 00:19:11,490 --> 00:19:15,388 Remi Allen-Bond: within either your organization or elsewhere, and how they work and will 384 00:19:15,390 --> 00:19:17,700 Remi Allen-Bond: allow you then to, if you want to move elsewhere, 385 00:19:17,850 --> 00:19:21,119 Remi Allen-Bond: to grow your skillset and then move elsewhere. I think 386 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:23,220 Remi Allen-Bond: the thing that's helped me most in my current role 387 00:19:23,790 --> 00:19:27,900 Remi Allen-Bond: is having done financial reporting for a year. I use 388 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:31,289 Remi Allen-Bond: that knowledge today. Even though it's an entirely different job, 389 00:19:31,888 --> 00:19:34,830 Remi Allen-Bond: the skills that you learn in it are useful anywhere. 390 00:19:35,730 --> 00:19:38,879 Maiki Lynch: That's it from this episode of By All Accounts. Thank 391 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:42,630 Maiki Lynch: you Remi and Angelika for chatting with me today. For 392 00:19:42,630 --> 00:19:45,270 Maiki Lynch: a link to watch the video version of this podcast, 393 00:19:45,388 --> 00:19:48,750 Maiki Lynch: check out the show notes. With skills and accountancy and 394 00:19:48,750 --> 00:19:52,950 Maiki Lynch: finance you can work in any business anywhere and turn 395 00:19:52,950 --> 00:19:56,728 Maiki Lynch: your passion into an exciting and rewarding career with an 396 00:19:56,730 --> 00:20:00,898 Maiki Lynch: ACCA qualification. You can sign up to find out more 397 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:07,830 Maiki Lynch: by heading to accaglobal. com/ buanywhere. That link is also 398 00:20:07,830 --> 00:20:10,980 Maiki Lynch: in the show notes. See you next week. I'm Maiki 399 00:20:10,980 --> 00:20:15,510 Maiki Lynch: Lynch and this has been By All Accounts. By All Accounts, 400 00:20:15,570 --> 00:20:19,438 Maiki Lynch: is a Fresh Air production for ACCA. Its Lead Producer 401 00:20:19,710 --> 00:20:23,190 Maiki Lynch: is Eva Higginbotham, with support from Sarah Moore. And its 402 00:20:23,190 --> 00:20:25,349 Maiki Lynch: Executive Producer is Annie Day.