"You just have to be strong" - Tackling the jump from first to second year
Growing up, I always said I wanted to be a CA.
Because I thought it was a fancy job where I would get to wear fancy suits and sit in a friendly office.
Little did I know I was about to go on a bumpy ride.
The day I signed my training contract was one of the most incredible days of my life. I had thought my fancy life had finally begun.
Especially since my company office is quite nice.
I was even more excited when I heard I would be an audit; at least now, the late nights I spent on campus trying to understand audit procedures and assertions will be worth it.
The first three months of training were friendly and easy, you know, that's when you get compilations and independent reviews, so you think you're on top of things ...
... until the busy season started, things started getting heated, and the pressure was on.
Getting the hang of the actual audit work and documentation was not so bad, especially since I got good guidance from the senior trainees and managers as I went out to various clients.
I have been exposed to both the private and public sectors, but trying to keep up with the pace to try to meet the deadline and not blow the budget was the hardest, and it was then when I learnt that putting in an extra 2 hours after work and on weekends is a norm in this field.
The transition from the first to the second year has been very tough. I was used to having someone hold my hand in the first year.
Now I am getting the more difficult sections, taking a more senior role.
Sometimes, I dread waking up to go to work because I think of a long to-do list waiting for me, but we soldier on because the exposure and knowledge I am getting are worth more than two hours.
There have been many times when I felt like I was not cut out for this life and had no willpower to carry on, but then I remember what my dad always said,
"There is no easy way to success. You just have to stay strong",
And I pick myself up again.
If you're still wondering whether to start your articles or not, my advice would be to go for it. It's a great platform to gain the skills and knowledge to prepare you for more significant opportunities in the accounting and auditing field, but do brace yourself. It's going to be a very bumpy ride.
Zamokuhle Majola is a 29-year-old semi-senior accountant trainee at Accensis. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Zululand. She is a former finance intern for SAPS and has a passion for management accounting.