Congratulations on achieving first place in your Financial Management ICAEW exam. What do you think was the biggest factor that led to this achievement?
I think there were lots of factors that played a part in my exam score. The biggest one was probably how much I studied! I think genuinely finding the exam content interesting helped, as I’d happily read about wider context that related to the questions. I didn’t set out to win a prize, but I want to come out of every exam knowing that I gave it 100%, so I end up being quite dedicated to studying!
What made you choose a career in accountancy? Was there anything that triggered your decision?
At university I studied Geography and Global Development – when I chose my degree, I had no idea what career I wanted! I ended up taking a series of modules about the economics of development and found them more interesting than Geography. From there, I started looking into careers in finance and thought accountancy sounded like something I’d enjoy. I decided to take a gamble and give it a go, and here I am!
What was your approach to studying? Do you have any study tips for other students aspiring towards ICAEW prize winner status?
I tried to study as consistently as I could without getting burned out. For me, this was doing some study every day; most days I did a lot of study, but there were some days I’d do less and made sure I had time to chill out. For me, it was important to keep the momentum going. This will look different for everyone though, so do whatever works for you – just do it consistently!
My main study tip is to not just understand how to solve a question, but to really understand why this solution works and the background information relating to the question. In Financial Management, memorising the steps to solve the maths questions is one thing, but actually understanding what you’re doing and why you’re doing it is another. Not only did understanding ‘why’ make me feel more confident, it made the written questions much easier to tackle.
How have you been supported by your company and colleagues throughout your studies, and how has this contributed to your success with ICAEW so far?
Lovewell Blake have been great during my study, they have been supportive and patient! I’ve always felt like I can ask anyone at work for help or advice with study and they make the time to answer.
Studying with the friends I’ve made at work really helped me get the exam score that I did. We discussed plenty of difficult topics – when I was confused with a question, being able to ask someone else to attempt it and compare answers was a lifesaver! Similarly, trying to explain a question to someone else struggling with it is a brilliant way to test how good your understanding really is. I’m glad I was surrounded by such a supportive and dedicated group of people.
How do you manage juggling work & study?
Juggling work and study (and, more importantly, having a life outside of both of those) is challenging at times. At the end of the workday, I write myself a fairly detailed note about whatever I’m doing – it helps me focus on study in the evening without worrying about forgetting whatever I was in the middle of. It can be stressful working and studying, but I try to take it one day at a time and remember that study doesn’t last forever!
Do you have any goals/plans in mind once you have finished your ICAEW qualification?
I think I’ll probably just relax for a bit – maybe I’ll go on holiday to celebrate! I miss out on playing a lot of new Xbox games when I’m studying, so by the time I’m qualified I’ll have a good backlog to work through.
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