This post throws some light on most of the unwritten rules many CA students miss while starting or undergoing articleship. Most of what you will read here are my own experiences and observations. Read on...
I understand that many of the readers would be pursuing articleship currently, while many others would be starting their articleship journey in the near future. But one thing almost everyone would agree is that the period of the 3 years of articleship completely changes an individual. lt is one of the best learning phases of life and personal development.
But during these 3 years, there are a lot of rules which might not be in writing anywhere, but are important to be followed to make perfect use of this golden period of your life. Here are just some of them from my experience and observation. Do comment below if you disagree with any of these rules or want to add something to the list.
Always be curious. Articleship time is the best time to learn and correct yourself before you jump into the world of jobs.
Ask questions. If there is something which you have been asked to do, but you do not understand what or how to do it - ASK. CAs are genuinely very helpful, but only if someone asks for help.
Plan your day out well. Decide timelines for each assignment - work, review and disposal. Maintain an updated TO-DO list every day. This will help you be punctual with your deadlines and your mind to stay clutter-free.
Be enthusiastic and eager to learn. Show the zeal to outperform and exceed the expectations of the Principal. If you want to work on a particular sector or client, show the eagerness by openly asking for it. I am sure the seniors will respect your eagerness.
Plan your studies to avoid last-minute stress. Be regular for your classes to the extent possible. Gather all notes for all the classes you may have missed sufficiently before the exams.
Don't let your free time go up in smoke. Even though your CA Final attempt may be more than 2 years away, you should start studying for it at the earliest. Trust me, the time of 2+ years whatever you may have for the exams is just not enough as compared to the volume and complexity of the syllabus.
Avoid office politics and gossips. Yeah I know it comes naturally to some (:p), but no one in any CA firm will take this positively.
Always try to help others in distress and who knows someday you might also be in need of help. Don't be arrogant and try to gel well in the team. There could be times when everyone would be overworked and you might also have to miss your classes. But is equally important to understand that CA articleship is not for attending tuition classes, but to learn the practical aspects of being a CA.
Put your learnings to good use and apply wherever possible. Only in this way will you be able to thoroughly prepare yourself to the challenges of any job after qualifying as a CA. Even those pursuing MBBS have to go through rigorous practical training to become excellent doctors whom their patients can blindly trust. CA articleship is certainly less rigorous than that!
Be patient. The early days of your articleship may seem a bit odd to you - be it the work, or the people around or the work environment or just the thought of you sitting in one place for a good 8+ hours. Give it some time and believe me, it will start to seem pretty normal soon.
Lastly, build a strong network. Articleship is not just about working, it is much more than that. It gives you the opportunity of making strong connections and friends for life. Every interaction will only leave you enriched.
Undoubtedly, articleship is a wonderful journey if one wants to make the fullest use of it. What needs to be done is to embrace it positively, with a clear mind and a heart full of grit, passion, and determination.
I sincerely hope you will find this article useful. Please do not forget to comment below if you disagree with any of these rules or want to add something to the list. Thanks for reading :)
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