[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Maisie joined BHP in 2015, qualified in 2019 before taking on a support role within the IT Team. During this time, she was integral to two new software implementations – appraising options, providing feedback to suppliers, and arranging training and support. She also played a key role in changing the induction process at BHP, providing in house technical training to all of BHP’s Graduates and School Leavers, alongside relevant software training. Outside of work, Maisie enjoys going to the theatre and going for long walks with her basenji, Bruce.
In preparation for Accountex, we spoke to Maisie ahead of her speaker session which is all about engaging and training the younger generation to retain them in practice.
1. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the profession?
Ask as many questions as you can and as soon as they come to mind. Don’t sit there thinking the method or answer might come to you when someone right next to you or on the other end of a phone knows it off the top of their head. Overall, the sooner you ask the sooner you can move on, and this will save you time which will be appreciated on jobs.
Also, don’t worry about asking the same question twice. As someone who trains new intakes, I prefer it when people ask questions as it shows they are listening and want to learn. Even Partners will admit they don’t know everything and need to ask a question every now and again and they have been doing it for years!
2. What do you want visitors to take away from your session?
I would like visitors to come away with a fresh perspective on the younger demographic. Every generation has been given stereotypes, however previous ones have more apprehension for Gen Z entering the workforce than they have ever done before.
But as with all demographics, they are a product of their environment and in order to adapt for the younger generation we should actually be adapting for the environment we are now in. We do it in other areas of accountancy, so why not with our people?
3. What is the one thing accountants must do to adapt and remain successful?
I think the biggest adaption which must be made is the idea that investment is purely financial. Time investment is more important, and the next thought is where does this time come from?
It seems an easy answer that to adapt we must keep up with the latest software, pay for it, train staff on it and use it. However, success comes from how it is used and the overall benefit.
From speaking to my peers, it seems I have a unique job role as a Chartered Accountant in a position working so closely to accounts software yet being fully free of a portfolio. This allows me to invest 100 per cent of my time working out the most effective way to use our software, implementing new software and passing this to the wider team. Not only that, I can also prepare training materials and create a training procedure allowing standardisation across our firm even with ad-hoc new starters. How many other firms have individuals like me who are not needing to steal time between client work to do this?
4. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
If you’re doing heavy eye make-up do your eyes first (with setting powder under your eyes to catch any fall out), and then do the rest of your face – but that doesn’t apply so much here!
In the world of work, the best advice was actually from my Dad, and quite simply it was ‘Don’t post mortem’. This was given in the context of me having studied three months for an exam which I completed in three hours to stop me from then spending the following three weeks unpicking what I had written! Performing a post mortem on my exam would just take up more time I did not need to give between auditing and studying for the next one.
Even now my exams are finished I think back to this when I’m wondering how I performed in a meeting or doing a presentation. When I step off the stage at Accountex I will say this to myself!
5. What do you love most about the accounting industry?
The people.
From the outside, accountants are very much cast in a one size fits all role (suit, a bit stuffy, normally boring) which is why, if you say you’re an auditor to your friends, they immediately ask if you can help them with their self-assessment tax return!
On the inside it’s a supportive network where individuals want to see staff succeed as well as promoting a good time outside of work with plenty of events.
I also love the fact it is an industry which you do not need a degree to be highly successful in. I wish this was more widely known as I think this would be a better path for a lot of young people entering the workforce.
Maisie is hosting her talk ‘Engaging and Training the Accountants of Tomorrow‘ on 12 May 2022 at 3pm – 3:45pm in the People, Talent and Culture theatre at ExCeL London.
You can register for your free ticket here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
