My Case Study

The Job
In SPA, we provide services related to controls around the financial reporting process, including financial business process and IT management controls. In simple words, we review financial systems and business processes to ensure that there are sufficient controls in place. We will go to clients’ site, interview them to understand their business and the controls set in place, collect supporting evidence, and document the results and findings. In addition, SPA also provides services such as IT controls review, infrastructure security review, data analysis, pre/post-implementation system review, Sarbanes-Oxley readiness review, and many more. Given the wide variety of services, there will be at least one area that will fit your interest of development.

Challenges Faced
Personally, the settling-in period was the first challenge immediately faced with. Due to language barriers (Brussels is more French-speaking, rather than Flemish or English), the cold winter (first time I experienced winter), geographical unfamiliarity, the process of finding a permanent place to stay was made more difficult. I was living off my luggage for more than a month, moving between different locations and bunking in with different interns. On the positive view, this had helped me to gain a better orientation of the various places around Brussels, and I have made some really good friends during this period.

Professionally, the settling-in period in my job was also a challenge. Only a limited number of clients were assigned to me then, and I had to be proactive to request or look for tasks to do so as to make my time worthwhile. Research, reading, online learning were keeping me busy then. On the positive view, I had the time and was given a lot of opportunities to go for trainings, seminars and classes, which improved my knowledge and replenished my energies for upcoming challenges. In fact, by the second half of the year, I was fully assigned to clients and fully chargeable for my time. It was very fulfilling for me, as I learnt from the job, as I worked with different teams, delivered quality work, and gained satisfaction from the clients and the managers.

Enjoyed Most
The mobility - I enjoy moving around to different clients’ sites, to different parts of the country. As I move around, variety intensifies the working experience.

The interaction - I enjoy the interaction with different clients, working in teams, communicating with different colleagues, which also help me to integrate easily into the local community.

The satisfaction - I enjoy what I am doing in SPA. From a professional point of view, there are lots of opportunities of development and specialization. I can feel myself learning and progressing.

Development
Being in a European environment, I live the European way of life, finally I get to understand the distinction between personal time and working life. The overall company policy promotes a healthy work-life balance, where the people work hard, but also value personal time. In SPA, people work hard and play hard, and I enjoyed those chilling out sessions at the cafe with the colleagues, just to chat and shake off stress of the day. In addition, many social and community activities are organized to enhance interactions among colleagues and to contribute back to the society.

After working with my European colleagues, I gained more confidence in dealing with people of different cultures, in terms of the way of doing things or the way of communication. I had 101% cultural immersion, where integration into the local community was made much easier and interesting for me.

What’s Next?
For me, the next step is going to Canada PwC office to further my career, to further my travelling plans, to further my circle of friends, and to further my life experience. Thanks to all the great bosses who have faith in me and thus have given me great recommendations and opportunities. Thank you once again.