HEENA PATTNI
WRITER
Heena Pattni specialises in creating bespoke CVs for women in finance looking to make their next big move. Heena is a qualified accountant, with over twenty years of experience in finance, including 13 years at a Big 4 accountancy firm and several years at a Big 5 bank. She is also a published author.
Heena, please tell us about what you do, how you ended up doing this and why you are passionate about your work.
I’m a CV writer, specialising in creating bespoke CVs for women in finance. I came to this through quite a circuitous road.
I’ve been a reader and a writer ever since I was a child. As an adult, I trained in finance, qualifying with KPMG, and spending 13 years working my way up their corporate ladder. Almost all of my career as a finance manager also included significant time interviewing, coaching, counselling and mentoring staff – which I absolutely loved. A sudden and serious illness derailed me completely, but it also gave me time to reflect. I realised my career hadn’t made me happy for quite some time.
I left KPMG and tested a number of alternative career paths (qualifying in Hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming along the way). I also found time to write again, and have one published book and one fiction work in progress underway.
I eventually realised what I’m passionate about is helping and supporting other women. It was always the most satisfying part of my previous finance roles. As a CV writer for women in finance I can combine my writing skills, my finance experience and my passion for supporting women.
I absolutely love what I do!
Tell us about your greatest achievement.
This is a difficult question! In my personal life, my most significant achievement is beating cancer, and embracing the life lessons that particular journey taught me. It made me re-evaluate what is truly important in my life, and find my way back to writing. It feels like an achievement to be thriving rather than just surviving.
In my professional life, qualifying as an accountant and seeing my book published are both very close to my heart. Again, in both cases, it's the journey and what I learned that has been valuable - the end goal has been more precious because I know what it's taken to get there.
What would your advice be to someone thinking of entering finance as a profession?
Do it!
Aim to get the qualifications and some great all-round experience whilst you're studying. If you're studying at the moment - keep going. I know how tough it can be to juggle study, work and life, but once you're qualified you'll have so many more career options, and your free time will feel even more special. Finance can be a great profession to be in, and there are so many industries and specialisms you can focus on, once you have a solid foundation - the world is your oyster!
What is your experience of the finance industry from a woman's point of view? Would you say it is a good career choice for a woman?
I've found it to be a great industry with plenty of room for progression. As a trainee, I think it's a really level playing field, and as long as you focus on getting both the exams and the experience, you'll give yourself a strong foundation. As you move up your career path, I believe the opportunities are vast, and it becomes about what interests you most and what gives you the most satisfaction.
The industry has really embraced flexible working, and as a woman with many competing priorities I think it is possible to find a role that gives you career satisfaction in an environment that suits you. I feel that the senior roles are more difficult to break into, although it's gratifying to see increasing numbers of women make that leap (and I hope in my own small way I can help them do that) and take up FD and CFO roles. Overall, I think finance is a great career choice for a woman.
What's your best financial advice for any woman?
Become financially independent and stay financially savvy!
Thank you, Heena
Faye Watts is a Strategic Business Coach and founder of London accountancy firm, FUSE Accountants. Sharing business development skills with business owners like you through planning, coaching and advisory. She is also the co-founder of Audrey an online platform for women who know there’s more to life and sits on the board of various organisations, including as a trustee for the charity Neuroblastoma UK
