BSc (Hons) Applied Accounting - Oxford Brookes University, UK
Graduate profile
Professional Scheme student Constance Holtzhausenher describes her role with Internet auction website eBay.
What influenced you to enter the accountancy profession, and why did you choose ACCA in particular?
I was always strong at maths, and had successfully run two of my own businesses, but I felt that a formal qualification would improve my career prospects, particularly as the wide variety of topics covered in the ACCA syllabus would open many potential career paths.
You¡¯re now employed by eBay, based in Bern, in Switzerland. How long have you worked there?
I¡¯ve been there since June 2004 and before that I worked for SC Johnson. In fact I started work at eBay as soon as I finished my June exams. I completed my Paper 3.7 exam then dashed off to the airport to move from the UK to Switzerland!
So what attracted you to the eBay job? What are your main responsibilities?
eBay is a great company to work for. The financial control of all the European entities is coordinated in Bern, and my job involves maintaining each country¡¯s balance sheet and liaising with the country managers. We have quite a lot of businesses in Germany particularly, and I consolidate all the data for them. It¡¯s a very interesting and challenging role.
You must look at the various eBay websites a lot. Do you ever buy anything for yourself?
Oh yes, I¡¯ve bought lots of things! Because my job is so challenging and there are a lot of deadlines to meet, sometimes on Saturdays I go into the office because the atmosphere is very nice and the people are so friendly. This means that you don¡¯t feel that you¡¯re doing any extra hours, Saturdays are a great day to go on the Internet and see what¡¯s there. It was very handy to buy furniture for my new place in Switzerland!
So now eBay has spread around the world, do you enjoy the experience of working for a global company?
It¡¯s great being responsible for the accounts of so many countries, and every moment eBay is growing. The company is always evolving and that¡¯s really exciting.
Given that the company is so dynamic, you must have a lot of plans for the future?
Normally I¡¯m not the kind of person who likes to spend too long with one company, but I¡¯ve actually committed myself to be with eBay because it has all the elements you need to progress within a business. They help their employees to get through training and college, and there¡¯s always something new you can apply for. So I think I will stay with eBay and see where it leads me. I¡¯m sure I will continue working at eBay while I complete my MBA .
