Aloha

Finally, an update on working life! I bet some of you are waiting expectantly for this. I had a 1001 things to say when I was thinking of what to mention in this entry, but now my mind is kind of blanked out :D

It's my third week into office life already. For two weeks I've been helping my manager who also happens to be my counselor i.e. the one doing your performance feedback. All has been fine, other than a late night or two when I stayed back in office to clear work, or travel down to client's place to do PBSE (post balance sheet events).

PBSE is meant to be done quickly because everyone would secretly hope there's nothing much to "discover" that would affect our audit opinion. Usually we would carry out subsequent events queries and review through ledgers/journals for transactions after the year end. BUT for that particular client I was dealing with they were closing accounts for 31 dec 2008. So guess what, the post BS became events occuring from Jan 2009 till Sep 2010. ONE YEAR OF EXTRA WORK. You don't need a genius to guess what time I ended work that day when it could have been done in a few hours.

Then there was another day when I made my first mistake at work - I actually commited an error in checking the FS. By the time I discovered the error and began the long conquest to salvage it my manager had left the office already, so I held on to the statements for a whole night and half a day as she was out of office for the whole morning. Seriously, it was adrenaline rush because the statements were due long time ago for partner's review. The partner pressed the secretary for the FS, the secretary pressed my manager, my manager questioned me and demanded to know what in the world was going on. To cut the long story short, she sounded harsh over the phone and I was so prepared to receive my first scolding from her after lunch,THANK GOD (I don't know why) I was left off lightly and only got chided over email.

I'm also actually rather amazed at how suay one can get. Firstly, I'm assigned to the busier service line and coincidentally, to the busiest team. Then, I was the last out of like 50 people to be "adopted" on the first day of work. Then, I'm chosen like out of 50 people to conduct an observation of revenue cut-off on a SATURDAY. Then came the last straw when my name was left out of the training list for this week, out of 80 newcomers. How can this be???!!! Is there something wrong with my name???

As mentioned, I'm supposed to be having training this week together with all my friends. Was looking so forward to it after a week of mad rush in the office. Funnily, I'm now the newest staff in the office because the rest have disappeared to another building, the feeling kind of sucked initially to see your friends all having the time of their lives elsewhere. But again, I must thank God that even such seemingly sad times I see His providence. I'm currently attached to a senior who must be the most patient and approachable person I've met in the whole office. He's like even more patient than me! Haha ok, I admit that's a very bad analogy because I'm an impatient freak. But he's definitely more patient than most girls and takes the time to explain things to me.

But there's one thing he said that made me think hard about this profession again. After he got married he simply stopped slogging his guts out for peanuts. Makes me kind of scared again to think that I've chosen a profession that leaves no time for personal life/dating/family bonding etc. And do I have to mention again that I'm in the busiest team?

Hhm, I guess things will work out somehow. At least I'm doing fine with my counselor and seniors and the crazy working hours are not here yet. Just kind of tired by the time I reach home so I don't really surf the net anymore.

Students out there, enjoy your freedom to the fullest! :)