Role-Switching: from Accounting to Business Analysis [Sonia’s Experience]

Role-switching in the same company can be/is challenging. But, at the same time, it can be/is a great opportunity for professional growth and development. In?our previous blog post , Sergiu, our BA colleague, talked about the pros and cons when transitioning to a BA role if you already have an extended professional experience in a different role.

To better understand the role-switching process, we asked Sonia to share her insights with us. She’s our colleague who switched career paths not too long ago. Before being a Business Analyst, Sonia was on the Accounting team. Below you’ll find more about her journey in evozon and details on what the process of switching roles implies. This includes the similarities and differences between the two roles, the challenges faced, and how she overcame them. Plus, more insights into the topic of role-switching.

Thus, whether you’re looking to change your profession or are curious about what this transition entails, read on to learn more.

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It all started when…

Sonia’s journey in evozon started 6 years ago, in 2017, as part of the Accounting team.?

“I started working in the Accounting department as a junior accounting specialist and, over time, I progressed to become a payroll specialist. Then I decided that I needed a shift in my career and now I work as a business analyst and project responsible.”

She worked in the Accounting department for five years, starting as a junior/intern. Her tasks included document processing and ensuring proper document signatures. After 3 months, she transitioned to more advanced tasks,?such as preparing various types of paperwork and working with taxes. Over the course of the next year, she began handling invoicing and financial reporting responsibilities. The final transition inside the Accounting team was into the payroll role, which she enjoyed the most. She had that role for almost three years. Her next professional move: to become a Business Analyst. And that’s when the role-switching process started.?

The role-switching process: from Accounting to Business Analyst?

“After working 5 years in a strict and non-creative field, I decided that I need something new. My good friend and HR at the time (Mihaela) helped me identify my professional strengths and suggested that the role of Business Analyst would fit me best. A lot of research followed to see if I would really see myself as one.”?

The process of transitioning from one role to the other involved the following steps.

1. Decision:?“Deciding to leave the comfort zone and give it a try”
2. Research:?“A lot of research to see what this role implies.”
3. Learning individually:?“Received access to learning materials inside evozon and started the learning process individually.”
4. Being mentored:?“Training and mentoring with Sergiu Pocan (Business Analyst in evozon) while still working in accounting. We had 2 meetings/week in which Sergiu explained the BA job to me from scratch, and gave me assignments, and reading recommendations. Even had tickets to be presented in a grooming ceremony assuring me that I got the full feeling of the BA profession.?Training and mentoring with Raluca Hirian (BA) while still working in accounting. We had meetings once a week in which Raluca showed me how to work in a scrum team and where my attention should be focused at.”
5. Being hands-on:?“Entering a real project and helping Raluca with BA tasks (well, actually, it was her helping me more). Finally, remained on the project as a BA where I’m continuously improving my skills and learning a lot.”

The challenges, differences, and similarities

The challenges

Transitioning from an accounting position to a business analyst can be a challenging process. Considering the two roles require different skill sets and areas of expertise, having to face some challenges in the process is to be expected.?

So, the three challenges Sonia encountered in this process were:

• adapting to the IT terminology:
• ?“Moving from a very structured way of work (I literally had tasks planned on each day of the month) to a more ‘do your own schedule’ type of work and planning the work for the whole team.”
• “Joggling with both learning to become a BA and working as an accountant while doing the handover for the payroll tasks to someone else.”

Even if most of the necessary skillset required by the two roles are different, there is one skill that Sonia thinks helped her accommodate faster in the new role: attention to detail.?

The differences and similarities

Three differences between the two roles that Sonia observed are:

• Relying on customer input through frequent calls;
• Planning her own work;
• Having a clearly-defined work methodology.

Sonia also noticed three similarities between the two roles:

• Applying analytical thinking;
• Problem-solving skills;
• Repeating information for clarity.

The team’s support in the?role-switching process

“I was fortunate to have the support of my?previous team?throughout my transition, as they encouraged me to pursue this, and helped me with accounting tasks when I was swamped.

My?current team?helped me (and is still helping me) understand the technicalities behind the app. Their support and patience have been crucial in my ability to acquire knowledge and skills.

The HR Department?informed me of all the available learning opportunities and also made sure that I feel like I am a part of the .NET department even before officially being part of the .NET department.??

The evozon’s?BA community?helped me during my transition, as they held regular meetings to discuss the challenges encountered in the field. By participating in these meetings, I gained valuable insights into the BA field.”

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Final thoughts

Sonia’s transition from the Accounting team to her current role as a Business Analyst at evozon highlights the advantages of switching roles in the same company.?

Throughout the process, Sonia faced challenges, including adjusting to a different skill set and work methodology. However, her colleagues provided support and guidance, enabling her to navigate the transition successfully. Despite the differences between the two roles, Sonia noted one similarity: being detail-oriented. Ultimately, what she likes most about her current role is the opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process and see her improvement suggestions implemented.?

Sonia’s experience demonstrates that with courage, support, and willingness to learn, transitioning to a new role within the same company can lead to professional growth and satisfaction. And, if you’re interested in learning more about our open opportunities, check out our career page?https://www.evozon.com/careers/ .

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Written by Cristina Strimbu & Sonia Lupan