My Journey into Accounting – Inga’s Story

For International Women’s Day, we asked our team to share their personal experiences and the journeys that brought them to where they are today. Inga, one of our expert accountants, shared her inspiring story of determination, resilience, and a passion for learning. From overcoming challenges in her home country to building a new life and career in the UK, Inga’s journey is a testament to strength and perseverance. We’re incredibly proud to have her as part of our team!

My Mum’s Advice: Anything But Accounting!

When I was deciding on my future career, my mum had two pieces of advice: she wanted to see me on TV, or if not, she insisted I do anything but accounting! She thought it would be too boring for me and that I’d be wasting my talents—though to this day, I’m not sure what talents she saw in me!

However, my sister, who has always been a role model to me, pursued a career in accounting, and that planted a seed in my mind. At the same time, I was fascinated by biology and had dreams of becoming a doctor. My highest grades in college were in genetics, and I loved the idea of helping people. But the journey to becoming a doctor was long and expensive, and I knew my family couldn’t afford it. My parents had already sacrificed so much to support me, and I wanted to become independent as soon as possible.

Leaving Moldova for a Better Future

I grew up in Moldova but left at 15 to study in Romania. Corruption in my home country was something I couldn’t tolerate, and despite having many opportunities to study there, I wanted a better and more democratic environment. I earned a scholarship, but it wasn’t enough to cover all my living costs, so my parents took on extra work to support me. Their sacrifices made me determined to stand on my own two feet as soon as possible.

Exploring Different Career Paths

Accounting seemed like a safe and practical choice—I knew that every business needed someone to manage their books, and I enjoyed working with numbers. But life doesn’t always go as planned, and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t find a job in accounting while studying at university. Instead, I took a part-time role coordinating volunteers at a non-profit organisation helping disadvantaged children and the elderly. It was a rewarding experience, but there was one problem—I didn’t speak English! Many of the volunteers were from abroad, and my struggles with the language made my job difficult. Eventually, I was let go, but I took it as a learning experience rather than a failure.

A Passion for Student Life and Engineering

Throughout university, I threw myself into student life. With some friends, I set up an organisation to help international students integrate, fought for student rights as a member of the University Senate, and worked on various anti-corruption initiatives. Balancing all of this with my studies was tough, and to help fund my education, I applied for a second degree in engineering—this time with a scholarship that covered my accommodation and some living costs. For a while, I managed both degrees, spending 12–14 hours a day in classes before dedicating my nights to student projects. But by my final year, I had to make a choice. I realised that, despite what my mum had thought, I had fallen in love with accounting! I dropped engineering to focus entirely on my economics degree and graduated with first-class honours.

Moving to the UK and Learning English

Even with my degree, finding a job in accounting was a struggle. My CV was full of skills, but I lacked real-world accounting experience. At the same time, my then-boyfriend (now husband) and I decided to move abroad to improve our prospects. I still felt the sting of losing my volunteer job because of my English skills, so I was determined to master the language.

When we arrived in the UK, I barely spoke a word of English. Apart from my husband, I knew no one, and the transition was tough. But I was determined. I studied English day and night for three months. One day, my husband had a meeting with his accountant, and although I couldn’t follow the conversation, I carefully watched the numbers on the page.

A Life-Changing Meeting

Three months later, armed with a new level of confidence, I asked my husband to arrange another meeting with the same accountant. This time, I walked in, greeted him confidently, and said, “I want to become an accountant!” He looked at me, surprised, and said, “Wow, you can talk!” That meeting changed everything—it set me on the path to the career I have today.

It turns out my mum was wrong—accounting isn’t boring at all!