- Are you a chartered accountant who wants to help and inspire others through LinkedIn while building your own personal brand?
- Hi! I am Shriti Singh, a qualified chartered accountant from the ICAI (India).
- Currently, I am a consultant at EY Risk Advisory. I love this consulting life; it has made me self-sufficient as a woman and has empowered me in many ways.
- I am on a mission to empower other Accountants and Finance professionals in whatever way I can. In a very short time, I have amassed more than 60,000 followers on LinkedIn, and my posts attract anywhere from 1000 to 20,000 page views on average.
- Why am I telling you this? Because I would love to see more finance professionals writing on LinkedIn and helping each other (and themselves) in the best possible way.
How Did I Get to California?
I come from a wealthy family, but I’ve always wanted to forge my own identity. I have struggled all my life for different reasons, and that has always kept me humble and grounded.
Growing up, I loved literature, history, and accounting. I was always a bright kid who worked hard all day and all night for academics and questioned the traditional way of learning. At the same time, I would say I used to be involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, be they debates, quizzes, dance competitions, or even drama.
In 11th grade, I decided to major in commerce with the goal of becoming a chartered accountant. Why did I select CA? From a young age, I loved numbers and knew that I wanted to make a career working in finance, economics, and math.
Also while in college (at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata), I found that I was able to help my roommates with their finances and could explain complex topics to them in an understandable way, which reaffirmed that I was best suited to become a Chartered Accountant.
And so my ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) CA journey began.
I started my CA journey after graduation and thereafter did my articleship at EY, Mumbai, under Risk Advisory Practices.
Like any other student pursuing CA, I had my own challenges and struggles. In those failures and hardships, I realized the importance of hard work and persistence more than anything else in the world. At every failure, my parents and siblings supported me and kept telling me, “You will become a CA one day and nothing else.” That kept me going. I feel we all should have that support system.
And, in 2019, I became a Chartered Accountant…Woohoo!
Making the decision to influence other CA Aspirants and CAs on LinkedIn
I am the first Chartered Accountant in my family, and CA has been the most significant achievement of my life. I don’t have the words to express how drastically my life has changed since then, all for the better.
2019. After clearing CA, I was reaching out to my connections on LinkedIn and asking if they could share my CV in their organization. I was lucky enough to find an opportunity within my company, but that is when I realized “how competitive the market is organization. I was lucky enough to find an opportunity within my company, but that is when I realized “how competitive the market is.”
My own job search gave me a firsthand experience of how desperately chartered accountants (or, for that matter, anyone) are seeking jobs in today’s competitive world.
I realized how it feels to have no help, to have no one to support your ambitions, to have no one to guide you, to give you the direction you need… that’s when I decided to help at least one CA find a job because of me!
But the question was, “How?” The first thing that came to mind was LinkedIn, the business-focused social media platform. That is when I decided to share my thoughts and experiences (I love writing anyway!) on this platform.
With the intention of assisting at least one CA, I began my journey on LinkedIn with only 80 or so connections…and now, a few months later, I have nearly 60,000+ massive followers. This is not something to boast of; rather, I am proud of the fact that I have dedicatedly tried to make a difference in the lives of so many fellow CAs, either by helping them get their desired jobs or by mentoring them, etc.
People tell me, “Wow, Shriti, you are an influencer!” Honestly, I am no hero or LinkedIn influencer. All I want to do is help someone find a job. I want to encourage students not to give up, not to abandon their dream of one day becoming a CA, especially women who have to leave their studies due to marriage or personal issues, etc.
Questions I get asked most about my LinkedIn journey
“How do I find the time to mentor and help on LinkedIn with a hectic consulting job?”
I start off my day really early, like 6:30 a.m. I think the fact that I have changed myself from a night owl to an early riser has made the difference. I get those 4-5 hours to do things that keep me motivated in life, and I think we all should have that balance.)
I then hit the gym and headed to work. So while traveling, I read the newspapers and make sure I spend at least one hour every day reading all kinds of news.
I tend to post on LinkedIn only when I really feel like talking about a subject and not otherwise. With every post on LinkedIn, I get a lot of messages, and I do check my LinkedIn messages often. I try to answer as many queries as I can in a day. Every other weekend, I devote more time to LinkedIn and mentoring activities.
Honestly, it’s no rocket science; I am just really good with time management. I make sure I don’t waste my time doing anything unproductive.
I’ve gotten into the habit of not keeping any pending tasks. I note down things that need to be finished in my phone notes, and that’s how I keep a balance between work, my personal life, and social media.
My day may seem ideal, but then we all have good days and not-so good days, so my day differs accordingly. Also, since I am in audit, I travel a lot, so again, my day changes.
But I do take out time after work or early in the morning to address the queries that I get on LinkedIn. After all, if you want to help, it isn’t that difficult!
“Where do I find my inspiration behind such posts on LinkedIn?”
To begin with, I only post when I feel like being vocal about something important or when I feel the need to say something, and not just for the sake of posting! Every time I post, I intend to keep it relevant yet personal to all the readers. I emphasize what they don’t know and how well I can present my point of view on the subject.
How do I find my inspiration? My answer to them is “real-life experiences.” So, when I post about failures, quitting, motivation, rejections, or even office or life hacks, it all comes down to my struggles. I mean, when I post something, it’s never with the intention that “hey, it should reach this many views or have this many comments or likes.” That feeling was never there. Also, I believe it takes away the authenticity with which I write on LinkedIn.
“Do I get silly questions on LinkedIn?” “Do I spoon feed my readers?”
I get so many basic (and silly) questions all the time, which I answer mostly if I have the time.
I can be rude to them and reply, “You should do your homework.” However, I believe that the time and energy I will invest in sending a rude text to someone could be better spent answering their questions!
I have come to realize that “everyone is going through so much in life, fighting their battles alone, bogged down by society or the pressure coming from the expectations.” Yet everyone is trying so hard to keep that smile on.
I feel we all should become each other’s strengths, motivating others in their journeys, being the guiding light in their careers, and empowering one another. We all can make it through.
“How do I handle criticism on LinkedIn?”
When I started writing on LinkedIn, I did get a good amount of criticism! But I have realized that one needs to keep doing what they firmly believe in, no matter what the obstacles are.
Also, everyone on social media has the right to comment on what they feel, and I respect their views. We must embrace the appreciation as well as the criticism that comes along with it.
I would urge everyone to write if they wish to, without any inhibitions. We should write responsibly, keeping the audience in mind and, more importantly, writing for the benefit of the public at large.
“How has writing on LinkedIn helped me personally?”
Whether you want to build your brand or not, you should try to make a change in this world. I mean, your presence should be valued.
I feel whatever little I have done so far, be it free coaching or mentorship, etc., has somehow helped me make my distinct brand (in the CA fraternity) and, of course, has contributed towards my own development.
I feel much more evolved as a human being now, and I truly feel like a people’s person now!
“What mistakes do professionals make when asking for help?”
Firstly, don’t be afraid to ask for help on LinkedIn, but at the same time, do your homework! Go through the company’s careers page or the profile of the person you are writing to or seeking help from!
Read and understand the job description and whether it aligns with your career goals, and then go search for someone from the same organization working in the department of your interest.
Out of 100 connections, I am sure 5 of them will be willing to help you out. All it takes is effort and consistency in your approach. Not to forget, words like “please” and “thank you” go a long way when asking someone to help or guide you!
wrapping it up…
Why do we have to wait for someone like “Shriti Singh” or “XYZ” to show us the direction? Why can’t we see more people from our own CA fraternity helping each other in the best possible way?
I see a lot of students struggling to cope with the pressure to clear the exams, self-doubting themselves, clueless, and completely dejected. We all can make time and try adding value to each other’s lives!
Nothing makes me happier than helping each other achieve our goals, whether it’s teaching students or mentoring them, assisting with recruitment or resolving professional career dilemmas.
