Youngsters who want to establish a brand should start working on it immediately, as and when they discover its unique selling proposition. They should not waste time once they have a plan, said an expert at the annual Chartered Accountant (CA) event which was held at Delhi University’s Sri Ram College of Commerce recently.
“Those who want to establish their brand need to have a strategy for it today as the change in course cannot happen 10 years from now and they will have wasted 10 years in the process. The choice has to be made today. There are brands such as Infosys and Wipro that have been built over the years, so a plan and a unique selling proposition is what are needed,” said Vijay Iyer, Partner-Tax, EY.
Technological advancements
In the third edition of CA confluence — moderated by Richa Mishra, Bureau Chief - Delhi, Buisness Line — experts helped aspirants explore myriad opportunities in the profession and addressed queries regarding articleship.
Giving a different perspective to it, Amit Chugh, Partner-Assurance, EY, said that one can build a personal brand even while working with a developed brand. There is also concern among youngsters about the future of jobs and the kinds of jobs that will be available from now as a result of technological advancements.
“The fact that the present jobs will be redundant does not mean that jobs are going to go away entirely. So, if one takes the example of CA, it has two parts: subjective and objective. It’s the objectivity that is being replaced by artificial intelligence and data analytics. On the other hand, subjectivity will remain and it is because of this that what students are learning and studying will helpthem,” said Chugh.
Importance of big four
While answering on if the big four consulting firms — Ernst & Young, Deloitte & Touche, Arthur Anderson, and KPMG — are the best place to start a career, Iyer said, “At the initial stage, the big four are the best place to be as they give you the opportunity to work on different business models. Having said that, each individual is different and some prefer working with the industry, which requires a methodical approach, and that can be an option too.”
The aspiring CAs also raised a query on when is the right time to choose a specialisation. The speakers said that initially it’s going to be a bit hit and on a trial basis, one has to select on from the little bit information that they have, but it is not hard-wired. One just needs to keep their eyes and ears open to understand what it is that excites them.
The panellists said that, in the end, it is passion and interest that are most important and once those are in place, the right opportunities gradually make their way.