What's your job about?
I work as a Graduate Accountant for Hood Sweeney in the Whyalla office on the Eyre Peninsula. The company offers a range of services including Accounting, Financial Planning, Technology Services and Finance. I work in the Accounting and Business Advisory department. In the last five months, I have gradually progressed from processing individual tax returns, fringe benefit tax, business activity statements to financial statements.
I start my week by completing a workflow planner. Its an excel spreadsheet that includes all the jobs that need to be completed during the week. Against every job, I put the time that should be spent completing the job. As I finish the job, I go back and mention the time that was spent. This gives myself and my manager an idea if I went over the budget and the reasoning behind it. This can further highlight my areas of improvement and the steps I should take in the future.
What's your background?
I was born and brought up in India. After completing my high school in India, I moved to Melbourne for further studies. I completed my Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Accounting and Management Information Systems. I worked in Melbourne as a Retail Supervisor for four years. Finally, I relocated to Whyalla (SA) in January 2022 for better work opportunities. Initially, I applied for the position of Team Administrator at an Arts Centre in Whyalla. The treasurer there is the Senior Accountant at Hood Sweeney who found my resume and referred me for a graduate role at the firm. I was interviewed by People and Culture and the manager and was selected for the position of Graduate Accountant at Hood Sweeney. I started working in March and now I have also enrolled in the CA Program.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
No, I think you still need the relevant qualification to get a job as an Accountant in any accounting firm.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I am taught something different at work on a regular basis which makes my job interesting. My job can be very tiring sometimes, but consistent feedback from my manager and senior shows me that I am doing my job well.
To promote team collaboration and complete jobs when it gets stressful, our team often goes out for coffee during the day. We get a chance to talk about each other’s jobs and if anyone is facing any difficulty.
What are the limitations of your job?
We are a small team in Whyalla with a large client base. Sometimes it can be stressful to get work done on time. But there is no limitation of our job because we work as a team. If one can’t get the job done on time, the other team member steps in to help and get the work done.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...