6.45 AM
I slowly wake up and roll out of my bed, have a shower, prepare some breakfast and a coffee, have a scroll through my phone, discuss with my family any exciting activities for the day and head to the bus stop feeling relaxed and refreshed for the day ahead.
8.30 AM
Following a short walk through the city from my bus stop, I arrive at our office in Martin Place and am greeted by a smiling face at reception as I enter. I get into my usual morning routine involving putting my lunch in the fridge, filling up my water bottle, briefly scrolling through LinkedIn or the AFR and having a quick chat with my desk neighbour about the upcoming day.
9.00 AM
I review any emails that I’ve received since I logged off the previous day as well as any emails that I haven’t had the chance to action yet and create my task list for the day, listing the items in order of priority. Due to the fast-paced and ever-changing nature of the work we perform, new tasks generally pop up throughout the day. I find it helpful to set out the tasks that need to be completed to guide my work for the day and ensure I am completing the more urgent tasks first.
9.30 AM
There may be emails from earlier in the week that need to be followed up, whether that’s to obtain some outstanding documents or have a piece of work reviewed. More senior colleagues often have a much busier schedule and really appreciate being reminded of any outstanding tasks. My main engagement has been a property receivership for a large development and construction company based in Sydney’s West. Due to the scale of the job, we have many reporting obligations and I also send an email to the various job teams to remind them to complete their component of the weekly report to our Lending Syndicate. The report allows us to keep the Lenders informed of any key activities and progress that has occurred throughout the previous week.
10.00 AM
On the receivership job I am a part of the “project control” team which is responsible for dealing with creditors, making payments, ensuring reporting obligations are met, correspondence with suppliers, taxation requirements and maintaining company books and records. We conduct a weekly meeting to chat through the team task list and raise any key issues that need to be addressed throughout the following week. It’s always nice to also have a more personal chat and discuss plans for the weekend etc!
10.30 AM
We often have catered office meetings and presentations throughout each week to receive updates on key engagements within the firm as well as conduct training. I lend a hand setting up the room and chairs for today’s presentation – an overview of the McGrathNicol 2021 Working Capital Report (good read!).
11.00 AM
After a fairly busy morning, I round up a few of my mates from my graduate cohort and we head out for a much-needed coffee. There’s always plenty of options to choose from – we don’t have to travel much further than a couple of minutes for a good coffee.
11.30 AM
We have a weekly call with one of the directors of the company we have been appointed over to request documents that will assist us in progressing certain tasks. In the morning prior to the call, we send a request for information email containing a schedule of previously outstanding documents as well as any new documents that any of the teams require.
12.00 AM
I head upstairs with some of my colleagues to grab a seat for the lunchtime Working Capital Report presentation. Two of the partners responsible for the production of the report give an intriguing presentation into the methodology behind the preparation of the report as well as the key findings. Following the presentation, I head outside for a quick walk to clear my mind and prepare myself for a productive afternoon.
1.00 AM
On the receivership job, we have developed a debt schedule model to show the funds that have been borrowed by each of the property-related entities to purchase the site and commence the early stages of construction. Initially, we had to review the bank statements of the companies as well as the drawdown requests to ascertain the receipts and payments of each of the property-related entities prior to our appointment as receivers. This allowed us to build in the interest component of the loans and apply it to the transactions that had occurred. Currently, we continue to maintain the debt schedule and update it on a monthly basis to incorporate any new transactions that have occurred under our appointment. This allows us to keep the Lenders informed of their current secured position and expected returns.
3.30 AM
It is now time to attend the weekly request for information call with the director of the company. We begin the meeting by running through all of the outstanding items from the last request for information and asking for an explanation if they were unable to source any documents. We then move on to new items that were not included in the last request and provide a brief context as to why we require them. Having the opportunity to lead the call and interact with the director has been really beneficial and helped me develop my ability to build rapport.
4.00 AM
We receive a notice from the ATO advising that one of the companies we have been appointed over has been selected for a random review. I notify the more senior members of my team and schedule a meeting to discuss the best course of action. At the meeting, we review the notice and begin to formulate a response. This involves searching amongst our records for the documents the ATO has requested and noting down the reasons why we will not be able to provide certain information. The unexpected task takes up the rest of my afternoon, meaning any outstanding tasks for the day will have to be completed tomorrow.
5.30 AM
Before I leave, I send a brief email to my manager providing an update on the progress of any outstanding tasks and the expected timing for completion. I pack my bag and walk back through the city to my bus stop, one of my favourite parts of the day!
7.00 AM
After a long day, it is difficult to find the motivation to do some exercise however I convince myself to go to the gym. I get through my workout and head home for some relaxation time to round out the evening.
8.30 AM
Following a shower and bite to eat, I usually throw on a movie or TV show and relax for the rest of the evening. I find it’s a great way to unwind following a in the office. I eventually drift off to sleep ready to do it all again tomorrow!