"I've always had an aptitude for numbers and maths. So, from a young age, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career that involved numbers. I thought about pursuing a career in financial accounting first, but then I learnt about management accounting, and I was sold. What I like about this occupation is that I get to use my accounting knowledge to directly influence business strategies and decision-making, which I find exciting and stimulating."

"Since my plan was to become a Chartered Certified Accountant, I completed an accounting degree. During my last year at university, I made a friend whose dad was a management accountant. He told me all about what he does at work and I thought it sounded amazing. So, after the summer break, I found myself a job as an Assistant Management Accountant and then completed a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Professional Qualification."

"I think I have the ability to focus on accuracy and the smallest details, while simultaneously having a broad view and vision of a business. In addition, I offer strong leadership and managerial skills, which are vital in this line of work. As a Management Accountant, you need to help senior management make the best possible decisions for the company based on the information you supply."

"When I'm addressing a non-financial audience, I first aim to only present the most crucial information they need to know in order to make an informed decision. Second, I strive to align the information I present with their immediate goals and needs. I also aim to build on their current knowledge by relating foreign and complex concepts to familiar ones, so that they have a starting point to work from."

"I'm often involved with forecasting and high-level planning, which typically includes the creation of a budget. These types of management accounting tasks provide a company with financial direction for the coming months. In addition, I typically perform cost-benefit analyses for new and ongoing projects to ensure that they all turn out profitable. I also assist senior management with performance tracking, which helps them with effective decision-making in real time."

"In one of the positions I had early on in my career, the owner asked me to take advantage of some loopholes in the law and move around some numbers to meet revenue criteria. Although I was not acting illegally and was serving the requirements of the company I was working for, I was not maintaining my ethical standards. I started applying for a new position and moved on as soon as I could."

"As a CIMA member, I'm obliged to undertake continuous professional development (CDP) and to keep a record of my developmental activities. I also often attend conferences and webinars, and follow the progress of industry leaders by listening to their podcasts and reading their articles and social media updates."

"I think I have both a democratic and liberal approach when it comes to managing others. I believe in empowering people by valuing their input and providing them with responsibility. Instead of just asking them to focus on their individual, small tasks, I inform members of my team of the broader visions of the company and try to mobilise them towards reaching common goals."

"I've worked with Xero, which is an accounting platform that one can use to determine the health of a business. The system provides standard and custom reports that are useful for the internal management of a company. I have also worked with Oracle Netsuite, which is an integrated cloud ERP system that provides an impressive array of accounting and financial management solutions."

"An accrual refers to the recording of revenue or expenses paid, where no exchange of cash has taken place. Accrual accounting is well-suited to business environments where there are lots of credit transactions."