From junior to senior: interview with Cristina Ghioca, Senior Accountant

Hello, Cristina! What is your current role within Forvis Mazars in Romania?

Hello, everyone! I am currently a senior accountant in the Outsourcing – Accounting department of Forvis Mazars in Romania.

How does a day in your life look like? What are your responsibilities, the projects that you take on?

My day usually starts around 9 AM, with reading my emails and organising the tasks for the day by their priority. Of course, coffee completes the list of essential aspects, all of them helping me stay focused, and not miss any important deadlines.

Right after that, I can get on with my tasks. I start by registering and verifying the accounting documents and the monthly closings, continuing with preparing and verifying the monthly declarations or with any other request from the clients, depending on their needs.

The dynamic aspect of my role shines throughout the day when we get unpredictable requests or cases from clients to whom we offer our consulting services.

Aside from the operational part, I am also involved in optimisation projects for our internal processes, and in the implementation of new procedures. Thus, I am constantly collaborating with my colleagues in solving challenging and complex situations.

How did your journey of growth look like within the company?

I joined the company 5 years ago, as a trainee, without much practical experience at that moment, only with a theoretical foundation, built throughout high school and university.

Although I already had a brief encounter with the business environment, working during the summer in accounting, Forvis Mazars was the place that exposed me to a large team and to a big amount of new information. I remember being impressed to have such young colleagues, each one as eager to learn as I was. This represented an important aspect, that motivated me to develop as much as possible, in an enjoyable way.

With time, my role transformed from trainee to junior and then to senior accountant, in the same team that I started in, and I am still part of today. Also, due to the opportunities within my team, I could always benefit frommy colleagues’ knowledge and expertise, learning from them and developing constantly. 

How was your transition like, from a junior position to a senior role? How did your team’s support impact you within this transition?

The people that surround us in these transitions are extremely valuable. My colleagues were always by my side, offering their full support anytime I needed it, making the transition seamless and natural.

At the same time, besides the enthusiasm that comes with a promotion, I was also afraid of the unknown, of the responsibilities that came with these changes. But I can truly say that the rough impact was highly diminished by my team, and things turned out differently than what I imagined.

Throughout my journey in the company, I went through multiple stages, each of them bringing a specific set of responsibilities and tasks. Thus, my evolution happened gradually, with small steps, taking on more and more complex activities. I learned, through them, how to manage challenging periods with calm and patience, alongside my team.

Forvis Mazars offered me an environment in which my professional development is constantly encouraged, with one person always taking the time to be there for me and to help me understand. The support that I received is one of the most motivating aspects that determined my evolution, and I will always be ready to offer it as well, to anyone in need.

This year, Forvis Mazars celebrates three decades of trust on the Romanian market, a period in which we have built relationships based on trust and constant support, as well as created success stories together. 

Thus, to mark the occasion, let’s offer our readers three elements to take with them at the end of our discussion!

1.    What book, movie or podcast influenced you the most in recent years and you think will be able to inspire a junior at the beginning of their career?

The book that changed my perspective, helping me manage any kind of task or responsibility, is Eat the Frog, by Brian Tracy. Through it, I learned how important it is to prioritise complex and challenging tasks, focusing on them when our mind is well rested and we’re thinking clearly. Although we tend to believe we’re more efficient when we start with the easy tasks, this book brings forward a different approach that can ultimately make your work more valuable.

I will take advantage of this opportunity to recommend another book that also had a positive impact on my development: Atomic Habits, by James Clear. Because each accomplishment requires time and exercise, this book reminded me that Success is the product of our daily habits, not the product of our major one-time transformations.

2.    What is the most valuable skill for your role?

Attention to detail, as well as efficient communication and organisation are the most important skills for my role.

Working within a field where accuracy is essential, attention to detail is an ability I use every day. Whether we talk about verifying accounting documents, preparing declarations or reconciling information, any error, even a minor one, can be significant because of the time needed to resolve it.

At the same time, because we work with different types of people, both colleagues and clients, it's really important that all the information we share is understood properly. This helps us organise our projects efficiently, completing them successfully.

3.    What piece of advice would you give to the young folks at the beginning of their professional journey?

Don’t be afraid to try new things! Only through experience will you discover what you like and what is suitable for you. It’s perfectly normal not to have all the information at the beginning, and I encourage you to believe in yourselves and to have the courage to try, without shame or hesitation.

We’ve all been there, at the starting point. With patience and curiosity, you will succeed in gathering more pieces of what will eventually be the puzzle of your career.

Finally, I want to remind you that every experience, be it good or bad, is part of your professional and personal development. Don’t get discouraged if things don’t turn out the way you planned on the first try, or if you discover that what you’re doing is not right for you. It’s never too late for a fresh start.

Thank you, Cristina, for your lovely insights! Let's keep writing this success story together, we'll be right here to cheer you on!