Hello readers! I am back with the “This one is not about me” series and in today’s post, I am going to be sharing the experiences of a dear friend who is an accountant and was kind enough to share her experiences with me during the busiest time of the year. Today’s contributor: Zaheen Tahiat, an international student from Bangladesh who is working towards her CPA designation. She is also currently employed at an accounting firm, working with the audit and advisory team as a Junior Staff Accountant. A little about us: Zaheen and I studied in the same program at the University of Toronto but had different specializations. We met in our second semester i.e. in Winter 2016 and had a lot of classes together over the four years. Apart from numerous group study (read: panic study) sessions, we have also been a part of the same friends’ group ( the only one I had in university), which led us to create a lot of wonderful memories together. Zaheen came to Canada in 2015 for her undergraduate studies in the Co-op Management program with a specialist in Accounting and graduated in 2020 with a distinction. When asked about what suggestions she would give to anyone looking to study abroad, this is what she had to say:
“Start Early - ideally during your AS (grade 11). Each university has different application deadlines so it's better to start researching early to not miss them”
“Use your alumni resources. Talk to the people from your school who went/is going to the school you want to go to, even if they are in a different program. They will be able to give you a more personal perspective.”
“High-rank universities may seem like a deciding factor when you start applying. They were certainly a big deal to my very traditional South Asian parents. But there’s a ton of other things to consider such as the culture, how diverse/accepting it is, finances/scholarships, the institution’s focus on student mental health, resources/alumni connections, location, etc."
"One of the most important things people fail to consider is that do you see yourself living there in the long run? Because I didn’t. A lot of people don’t. This is why they end up picking universities in counties where the immigration process is tougher, sometimes impossible. Even if you are not sure now, 4 years is a long time. You really evolve as a person and it is hard to have that hindsight being a high school student.”
Being in a Co-op program:
Most post-secondary institutions in Canada have what is called “Co-op programs” which allow students do internships in their field as a requirement for their degree. Since Zaheen is the first person featured in my blog who has been a co-op student, I really wanted some detailed insights on her experience:
“As an international student, you come in knowing “nothing” about the industry. Or at least I didn’t. I did not know the first thing about applying to a job – where do you apply? How do you write a resume? What is a cover letter? What do you say during an interview? how do I make references? Having a co-op program means your university guides you through all these questions. It prepared me for life after school. It gave me resources for companies that were willing to hire students with 0 experience and just wanted you to learn.
I had 16 months of full-time experience from 3 different jobs before I even graduated. I learned so much about myself during those 16 months - What kind of companies I would like to work for, what a 9-5 looks like, corporate lingo, how to take criticism constructively and become organized and efficient. I became so much more confident in my abilities, opinion, and my voice. My resume was full by the time I was in my 4th year. As an international student with no references, having that experience gives you a lot more credibility. I found my mentors in those jobs, who are still a part of my life and still give me guidance whenever I need them. I was able to land my current full-time position 1 year before I graduated with those experiences.
Of course, this is not the only way to get those same experiences. What the coop program gave me is something you can probably do for yourself by just being proactive and doing research. But as an introverted person who was very focused in school, having the coops being mandatory was what pushed me to apply. Realistically, I don’t think I would have gotten myself 3 different jobs while also being a student. I was also able to pay for my own living expenses after my coops. Having my own money meant I had more control over my finances, which really made me feel more empowered.”
Zaheen’s finances and accommodation during University: Her parents were generous enough to pay for her tuitions (we had this in common), and as she says, “It is a debt that she will probably never be able to repay”. She lived with her elder sister for most of her university years and started paying for her living after the second year. She certainly acknowledges the perks of having family in a foreign country. For e.g. having warm homemade food waiting for you after a long, tiring day at the library was one of the many perks but having curfews was not.
From all these years of knowing her, Zaheen has been a very sensible individual and a reliable friend. As strong as she has been, Zaheen naturally misses her big, loving family back home - especially " her mom’s cooking, unconditional love, and warm hugs". However, she does believe she has a better relationship with her family now more than ever and cherishes every moment she gets to spend with them. My last question to her was what she loves the most about Toronto, to which she says “I love that whatever I have here is mine. For example – the connections I have – I made them. The food I ate, I cooked myself (however bad it may be). It's been a long journey with many ups and downs but I’m proud of how far I’ve come.”