Appetizers

Starting with some basics.

Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.

 Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.

Tell us about yourself and your job.

Hello! My name is Clara. I am from the Bay Area, went down to SoCal for college, and am now in my first post-grad role. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking/baking, exploring new food places, and spending time with friends and family. I am currently an FP&A system analyst. In my role, I support the FP&A teams so that they can do their job to help their business partners. At the same time, I am also a product owner for a workflow, so I help manage the enhancements needed based on the stakeholder's needs.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

I had a variety of different experiences in the tech, entertainment, and defense industries which allowed me to figure out what I liked and didn't like. The reason why I decided to return back to the tech industry was because of how advanced the industry could become within a few years.

I liked that I could see myself growing and learning a lot with ServiceNow. The vision of the company was another reason why I ended up picking tech. Here the product is to help make the world of work, work better for people.

What does a typical morning look like on the job?

My day-to-day tasks typically range depending on the timing of the month as well as what projects are going on. If it is during the first two weeks of the month then I focus on month-end or quarter-end tasks to copy/move or clear data in order to "close" out the previous month as that data becomes actualized and we switch over to the next month to forecast.

I also partner with the FP&A teams to help them create new cost centers (departments) based on their business partners’ needs and ensure that there are financial assumptions (like salary/expenses) set up for the new cost centers in order for them to forecast.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

Similar to how my morning could vary, my afternoon will also be different depending on the needs of the business or what enhancements I am working with. One enhancement I worked on is automating part of a task that is integrated into another system. Before these changes get rolled out there is preparation needed - such as understanding what is the current process, what is the benefit of the change, what are the changes needed.

I gather this information and I communicate with IT teams to confirm if it is a valid request they can work on with the developers. Afterward, I help test it in a testing environment and validate that it is working properly and then we can have it be released into production. If it doesn't get signed off in the testing environment then it would have to wait for the next sprint before it can go into production. We are also in the process of switching the financial planning tool, so there is a lot of projects and conversation to help ensure a smooth change and so FP&A teams can continue to do their tasks.

What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?

I work on both ongoing and project-based tasks. During the first two weeks of the month, I have to prioritize the month-end close tasks and when those are completed I will continue working with the stakeholders to see how we can improve a current process. I have tasks to create these new cost centers for FP&A in the system and I am also the process owner so I help manage and test the new enhancements on changes that will roll out. Since we are also in a long project phase to shift the financial systems, I also help test and plan what is needed in order to smoothly transition to the new system.

Who do you collaborate with in meetings and projects? Cross-functional teams? What's it like?

The business partners I work with include the FP&A teams, who I support, IT teams to help with system changes, the Accounting team, HR, and Workplace teams. I have also worked with teams from different time zones, so it’s important to be flexible.

 Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.

What's the most challenging thing about your job?

Learning about the business planning system (BPC) that we use in finance was pretty challenging because this wasn't something I had experience with or learned in school. But because of the pace of the company, I felt like I had to understand the system pretty quickly.

What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?

Since there are lots of projects happening at once, it is really important to balance out my day to ensure that I can get my deliverables completed because other teams rely on my tasks. Communication is very important so that we can refer back to what was discussed at the meeting or where we last ended off with. It also helps to document the changes in case it is needed later down the line for future teammates.

Another characteristic that has helped me with my role is just being open to learning so I can adapt to changes and ask questions.

Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?

One piece of advice I have is to try different fields or roles if you can to see what works best for you. Even if you try something that is not relevant to your next role, there is always something you can gain out of it. For example, my very first job I had was actually in food services, but I learned a lot about customer service and communication which is a skill I continue to use with my current role.

What's something that surprised you about your job?

One thing that surprised me was the amount of responsibility! Maybe because it’s my first full-time role but it felt very different than internships I’ve had.

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?

Being able to adapt to change is key since there are always ways to improve the current process and depending on who your stakeholders are they might have different opinions. You don't have to be the subject matter expert at the start, but it’s definitely important to learn and reach out for help in order to succeed in your role.

 Drinks

Chat more over coffee or tea?