Amirah’s Smooth Career Comeback

“I left my job as an Audit Assistant Manager in November 2014 to pursue my Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) professional papers full-time abroad,” explained Amirah. “I wanted to continue my path of becoming a certified chartered accountant and to broaden my work experience.” 

Although making the decision to leave her previous job was difficult, Amirah was certain that working towards a professional certification was necessary to add value to her career. After all, the ACCA qualification is recognised globally and provides options to explore new areas of business and finance as well as develop new skills related to the profession. 

After obtaining her ACCA certification in 2016, Amirah felt ready to resume her career but was divided between returning to auditing or moving to another financial-related industry. 

“After completing my professional papers, I felt ready to return to the workforce,” she said.

“However, looking at the demands and fast-faced nature of audit work as well as my upcoming marriage, I needed to carefully assess my ability to juggle my personal and work commitments. Thankfully, my family and fiancé were very supportive and encouraged me to challenge myself and return to auditing.”

Familiarising herself with her new job responsibilities and colleagues was also a breeze, with the adequate support from her superiors and colleagues.

“It’s been a year and a half since I returned to the workforce,” noted Amirah. “There were some challenges in catching up with audit work methodologies and also the industry’s developments as I specialise in the audit of insurance entities. Fortunately, my superiors and teammates are supportive and helpful in sharing their knowledge and experience working in PwC.”

Amirah emphasised that it was especially important to be able to seek guidance and assistance from one’s colleagues and supervisors when needed.

 “I believe that you should not be shy in seeking out help or advice, no matter what your position may be. Aside from that, I also learnt that it is important to discuss role expectations upfront with your superiors. This will help you to better understand what is expected of you and facilitate discussions about your career path,” she said.