skyblue
May 30, 2013
Graduate / Essay for Masters in Accounting - Factors for Job Choice, Challenge, & Success Reason [3]
Hello,
My essay is broken up into 3 parts with a word requirement on each part. Feedback on whether the essay answers the key points asked, and if there are any points of confusion to clarify would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for taking a look at my essay!
skyblue
Essay B (Answer Parts I, II and III)
I. Explain the factors that led you to choose your current/most recent job. (approx. 250 words)*
A multitude of factors led me to choose my current job as a social entrepreneur. Some factors were external: a challenging environment for the financial services industry, and the ending of my contract as a financial analyst. Many were internal: I love community service and creating new solutions to existing problems as a self-starter.
There is the saying "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." The recession touched off in 2008 led to 8.8 million jobs lost from the 2007 pre-recession peak and was the worst since the Great Depression. I chose to make my lost job an opportunity. I re-evaluated my situation and took action with available resources instead of griping about factors out of my control. This meant looking hard at a problem like adjustment to a transition and finding a solution.
I had previously done community service at an event called the XXX, and still remembered the smiles on the faces of kids who learned about healthy eating by nibbling on a piece of watermelon, or the enraptured look on the faces of adults who were looking at Tai Chi demonstrations as a way to promote exercise. I saw the importance of health education and awareness firsthand - something I also see while participating in the Komen Foundation's Annual Walk for Breast Cancer. My current job takes the issue of educating about mental health seriously, and highlights the need to raise awareness about improving mental health during career or life transitions.
II. Describe the most difficult/challenging situation you have faced professionally (approx. 250 words)*
The most challenging situation I have faced professionally (besides dealing with my career transition) is solving a crisis involving the CEO of the XXX, XXX. He needed metrics on sales and asset flows to understand his clientele better, and the problem was that technical issues would lead to reporting past the stated deadline.
There were limited measures I could take to resolve the technical aspects of the delay, but this was an opportunity to re-examine the reporting process to avoid future issues, and salvage the unit's reputation by raising the bar for data quality. As the lead analyst, I immediately arranged a meeting with the coordinators of the data uploading process. I emphasized the need to find a way to provide data faster, and came upon a way to provide internal preliminary data within 2 days of a month close. I soothed initial resistance by confirming that the data would be considered draft quality, and that my unit would be partners in the data cleaning process. Together, we crafted a new quality assurance cycle that was about half of the original one of 20 days.
Our efforts did not go unnoticed. Though the reporting was done past the deadline for that month, during the next month when senior manager XXX went to visit Mr. XXX, he reported that Mr. XXX alluded to the book as a fantastic barometer vital to gauging the investment atmosphere during their conversation.
III. What are the top three reasons you have been successful in your career thus far? (approx. 250 words)*
My personal definition of success comprises the ability to act with the best of one's potential in a given moment. The reasons why I have been able to reach this state of success are the following: 1) respecting others, 2) being thankful, and 3) drawing upon a zest and passion for life. I have incorporated the principle of respecting others as part of the core values in my start-up, and have seen the effects of it in attracting talent. People have asked to join my team not only because of the fascinating topic of brain training, but because they felt that this was a safe and supportive environment for them to learn.
Being thankful helps me feel blessed to be alive every moment. Monks who have trained to meditate on gratitude were found to have increased capacity for empathy and compassion. Improving these qualities through being thankful allow me to understand another party's point of view and enable me to be more effective in resolving conflicts. Gratitude compels me to give back to the community in the form of community service, mentoring, and of course, creating a start-up with a social impact.
A zest and passion for life spurs me to gain new knowledge to improve myself. I am interested in making myself more successful, and I learn from my mistakes to become better. I'm excited to add accounting skills to my repertoire as an entrepreneur, and firmly believe in Confucius' saying, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
Hello,
My essay is broken up into 3 parts with a word requirement on each part. Feedback on whether the essay answers the key points asked, and if there are any points of confusion to clarify would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for taking a look at my essay!
skyblue
Essay B (Answer Parts I, II and III)
I. Explain the factors that led you to choose your current/most recent job. (approx. 250 words)*
A multitude of factors led me to choose my current job as a social entrepreneur. Some factors were external: a challenging environment for the financial services industry, and the ending of my contract as a financial analyst. Many were internal: I love community service and creating new solutions to existing problems as a self-starter.
There is the saying "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." The recession touched off in 2008 led to 8.8 million jobs lost from the 2007 pre-recession peak and was the worst since the Great Depression. I chose to make my lost job an opportunity. I re-evaluated my situation and took action with available resources instead of griping about factors out of my control. This meant looking hard at a problem like adjustment to a transition and finding a solution.
I had previously done community service at an event called the XXX, and still remembered the smiles on the faces of kids who learned about healthy eating by nibbling on a piece of watermelon, or the enraptured look on the faces of adults who were looking at Tai Chi demonstrations as a way to promote exercise. I saw the importance of health education and awareness firsthand - something I also see while participating in the Komen Foundation's Annual Walk for Breast Cancer. My current job takes the issue of educating about mental health seriously, and highlights the need to raise awareness about improving mental health during career or life transitions.
II. Describe the most difficult/challenging situation you have faced professionally (approx. 250 words)*
The most challenging situation I have faced professionally (besides dealing with my career transition) is solving a crisis involving the CEO of the XXX, XXX. He needed metrics on sales and asset flows to understand his clientele better, and the problem was that technical issues would lead to reporting past the stated deadline.
There were limited measures I could take to resolve the technical aspects of the delay, but this was an opportunity to re-examine the reporting process to avoid future issues, and salvage the unit's reputation by raising the bar for data quality. As the lead analyst, I immediately arranged a meeting with the coordinators of the data uploading process. I emphasized the need to find a way to provide data faster, and came upon a way to provide internal preliminary data within 2 days of a month close. I soothed initial resistance by confirming that the data would be considered draft quality, and that my unit would be partners in the data cleaning process. Together, we crafted a new quality assurance cycle that was about half of the original one of 20 days.
Our efforts did not go unnoticed. Though the reporting was done past the deadline for that month, during the next month when senior manager XXX went to visit Mr. XXX, he reported that Mr. XXX alluded to the book as a fantastic barometer vital to gauging the investment atmosphere during their conversation.
III. What are the top three reasons you have been successful in your career thus far? (approx. 250 words)*
My personal definition of success comprises the ability to act with the best of one's potential in a given moment. The reasons why I have been able to reach this state of success are the following: 1) respecting others, 2) being thankful, and 3) drawing upon a zest and passion for life. I have incorporated the principle of respecting others as part of the core values in my start-up, and have seen the effects of it in attracting talent. People have asked to join my team not only because of the fascinating topic of brain training, but because they felt that this was a safe and supportive environment for them to learn.
Being thankful helps me feel blessed to be alive every moment. Monks who have trained to meditate on gratitude were found to have increased capacity for empathy and compassion. Improving these qualities through being thankful allow me to understand another party's point of view and enable me to be more effective in resolving conflicts. Gratitude compels me to give back to the community in the form of community service, mentoring, and of course, creating a start-up with a social impact.
A zest and passion for life spurs me to gain new knowledge to improve myself. I am interested in making myself more successful, and I learn from my mistakes to become better. I'm excited to add accounting skills to my repertoire as an entrepreneur, and firmly believe in Confucius' saying, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."