I was introduced to accounting while at high school, and this world of debits and credits made me curious to explore it as a career. While pursuing my ACCA qualification, I simultaneously completed a Bachelor of Commerce and began my career at an audit firm.
In my life I have certainly stepped out of my comfort zone. I have always been an introvert, but despite this I decided to emigrate to Canada from Pakistan in 2019. I felt anxious and stressed about the change, and especially the networking that I had to do. However, I attended workshops and connected with strangers to overcome my fear.
I pushed myself to participate in mentorship programmes and attend coaching sessions. I’ve also had to spend hours preparing for presentations, often collaborating with others. However, it has all worked out wonderfully. I am still an introvert, but very comfortable hosting events, being a public speaker and being in a leadership position. It was not an overnight change, but due to hours of preparation alongside many encouraging pep talks from my mother.
Don’t count the days, make the days count
Canada is a land of opportunity if you have what it takes to thrive in a highly competitive market. However, Covid-19 adversely impacted inflation, which has led to small businesses struggling. The recent tariffs have made it difficult for large-scale businesses as well, but hopefully future economic policies will help mitigate some of these challenges.
This is my favourite saying: ‘Don’t count the days, make the days count.’
What I love about being an auditor is that it’s fast-paced, challenging and helps you grow as a person. As an auditor you develop great interpersonal skills, while being in touch with all the latest updates within accounting and across auditing standards. My job is never monotonous, as I can be working with completely different companies and teams every month. It is often said that audit is not for everyone – if you don’t have a passion for it, I couldn’t agree more.
I would introduce employee rights for CPAs/ACCAs to help them maintain a good work-life balance
The way AI has evolved within finance and audit has been very interesting. AI can be used in minimising work hours by performing tasks that require no professional judgment or by helping with analysis and trends. But while AI can minimise repetitive, time-consuming work, it is important to consider the confidentiality of data – firms must be careful to avoid any sensitive data being compromised.
If I had law-making powers, I would introduce employee rights for CPAs/ACCAs to help them maintain a good work-life balance. Our current employment laws do not impose any restrictions on working hours for professional service providers, such as accountants, which makes it difficult to set boundaries at audit firms regarding the amount of hours employees spend on overtime.
I have always wanted to be an accountant, so it is difficult to think about any other occupation that I might like. However, I also love travelling, so if my career was something other than accounting and finance, it would probably be based around travel.
When I’m not at work, I like trying out different activities, including kick boxing, painting and poetry. I also enjoy exploring new cafés and restaurants.
