I recently graduated from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. I had science in my 10+2 but I was crystal clear to pursue commerce in my college. It was a bit of a family stereotype as everyone around me suggested pursuing science as my stream for further studies. I gained more confidence in my decision when I stepped into my college. College was a game changer for me as I saw a great transition in my thought process and personality. I explored many opportunities, from academics to societies to events and many more. Apart from my academic and professional life, I am into writing poems and reading books, and one of my favourites is travelling to explore new places, food and culture.
How did you make it to PwC?
I was trying my best both on and off campus. I emphasised my efforts more on the process of campus since the college placement cell handles most of the process and you also get leverage by being a student of the college. Once I applied after CV filtration, I received a call for an aptitude test, which was basically based on general knowledge and what I had studied in my B.com. Later, I was called for an interview in which I was asked more about the things that I did in college or outside of college. I think it was a kind of cultural fit check and personality test for me, as they tested my confidence, how well-spoken I am, and my attitude. After a few days, I received an email of placement, and the onboarding process from their side has been very smooth.
To be honest, I didn’t plan for this too much. My initial idea was to get placed at any finance company and explore more about the industry. I had calls from other companies but I decided to go ahead with PwC because of its legacy in the industry. The idea that worked for me is to encourage yourself by trying as many good companies as you can and you never know where you can end up.
What are your roles and responsibilities as an Assurance Associate?
My responsibilities revolve around the IT audit department of PwC. I am responsible for auditing the documentation of the clients and making sure they align with the guidelines and protocols that have been mentioned by regulating bodies or the Government. Quality assurance check is also something that falls under my job role. Since I recently started there is a lot more to explore and I am looking forward to it.
You have cleared level 1 of CFA and seem to have a good background and profile of a finance enthusiast, so please tell us how both of them helped you to get this job?
I couldn’t leverage the clearance of my CFA level 1 in my interview as the results were not out back then. But yes it surely helped me because of the mature conversation that was happening in the interview, I was confidently able to come up with the answers to their questions. So preparation for CFA made me more confident about various finance concepts and I was able to utilise them properly.
What are your views on internships helping an individual get a good job?
It definitely helps you. If you have done internships in the finance domains then you have some extra advantage over other candidates sitting for the role. But my personal perspective is that one should invest time doing internships not only in domain but should also be exploring many other domains like marketing, HR, sales etc so that he can have a lot of things to talk about in his interview and share what you have learnt. Most companies these days emphasise the kind of overall personality you carry, not just the skill, look or anything very specific.
Tell us about why one should first focus on clearing exams of professional courses which are mostly theoretical and then take up internships or jobs, why not first learn practical financing tools and then appear for professional exams?
Genuinely you need to have both. If you see a broader side of the industry, having a professional degree like CFA or FRM is a great advantage for you. But yes, having the basic idea of the software and tools is also as important as the degree. The only thing here which is good to know is that when you enter the professional world of finance you get to learn the practical stuff from a scratch point of view and you get proper training. So if you can manage to do both of them, I think you will end up in good company with a good package.
You have been a part of the finance society of your college, how does that make an impact?
Societies in college give you more practical exposure to things and learning. I was a junior writer of publication in the second year of college but my zeal and enthusiasm to work and learn in society made me the head of the publication department in the consecutive year. I did a lot of publications and also experienced the role of leadership which was something I always wanted to experience.
What would your suggestion be to someone looking for an internship at Big 4?
The first piece of advice would be not to neglect your academic score and be super active in college societies and events. Participate in as many competitions as you can because these things make you a good learner and enhance your adaptability. If you are a finance enthusiast, try spending more time in financial markets. Learn skills that you feel can benefit you in future. Anything which can make your CV strong, try doing that when you are in college.