Maya: taking the summer off
I didn’t set out looking for a career in Audit.
After leaving school, I was slightly lost and circumstances led me to work at a US company’s Bulgarian branch, where I managed a billing database. Given the nature of the work, I had some interaction with the external auditors. I was mesmerised by the way auditors spoke – polite and inquisitive but nodding in appreciation, and by the way they looked – always a touch better dressed than us. But I was most impressed by the way they worked – being on the go, they had the opportunity to visit different businesses and meet so many clients, including more senior people.
After a few years, I completed my degree and started working as an auditor. The work was tough and repetitive to start with and it took me a while to get my head around how an audit works. Once I got it, I loved it. It was everything I expected and more. Over time I worked on a diverse portfolio, but it was the larger audits that presented more challenges from a team and time management perspective, and more problem-solving opportunities that I really enjoyed. Those jobs gave me a sense of achievement. However, they also brought me more stress and higher demands on my time – particularly as I’d had three children in a short succession.
Finding the right work life balance is not an easy task for most of us.
I have tested various strategies, some of which were healthier than others. These include having a set daily finishing time, weekend work as a way of ‘catching up’, more/less food and sleep, exercise/no exercise, etc. I can safely say that moderating sugar and alcohol, as well as plenty of sleep and exercise, have helped!
Making it work
My working pattern requires some extra planning from the senior team when looking at portfolios, which they’ve been happy to accommodate. On a personal level, I’m still able to work on interesting audits and fully engage with the rest of the team. We carefully communicate with clients and colleagues to manage handovers during the summer and ensure audits that span those weeks are well looked after.
Having just returned to work from my summer break, I’ve said a big thank you to my colleagues who covered for me in my absence. They enabled me to fully immerse myself in family life during my holiday and I was not asked to do any work over the summer. This is testament to careful planning at every step and shows how awesome the teams I work with are! I’m now ready and refreshed to tackle the next few months.
I love the buzz of a busy audit: the coaching, the client communications, the exposure to senior people, developing teams and individual relationships. I spent a bit of time in industry and found the experience bland and unexciting. I’m pleased that I can remain in such a rewarding role while also being able to spend quality time with my family. I’m also grateful that, with planning and support from the team, my children are getting the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Bulgarian culture and lifestyle. That’s something extremely important to me.
At Grant Thornton we are always happy to discuss and support different flexible working arrangements, we want everyone to be able to achieve the balance they need in their life.
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