Paridhi Jain comes from Jaipur, Rajasthan. She grew up in a family where many people, like her brother, cousins, and uncle, work as Chartered Accountants (CAs). This made her interested in becoming a CA too.
Paridhi went to school in Jaipur and started studying to become a CA there. She worked hard and passed her first big CA exam, which was a great achievement.
Then, Paridhi did something brave. She moved to Mumbai, a big city, for her articleship. She got an opportunity to work at Grant Thornton, a well-known company. Paridhi spent three years there as an article assistant. This was a big change for her, but she learned a lot about working in finance and gained valuable experience.
After that, Paridhi moved back to Jaipur due to family reasons. She found a good job at EY, where she continued to work and learn while being close to her family.
Later, Paridhi’s life took another turn. She got married and decided to leave her job at EY. Feeling ready for a change, she wanted to explore something different from auditing. That’s when she learned about an investment banking course. Paridhi decided to take this course, which opened up new opportunities for her. After completing the course, she became a valuation associate, starting an exciting new chapter in her career.
Below is a transcript of his interview with us:
Why did you choose CA, and did you consider other career options apart from it?
I chose CA because it felt like the obvious choice at the time. In my family, my elder brother, cousin, and uncle are all CAs, so I grew up hearing about their experiences. I already knew a lot about their CA journey, how tough the exams are and the kind of effort it takes to clear them.
Honestly, CA is considered the most traditional and respected career in finance, and back then, it felt like the only option. Since I was already familiar with it through my family, I didn’t think much about exploring other career paths. It just seemed like the right thing to do.
Now I realize there are other great options like ACCA or CFA, but at that time, CA seemed like the safest and most logical step for me.
How did your experience in Mumbai differ from your life in Jaipur?
Going to Mumbai from Jaipur (a small Tier-2 city), felt like living a dream. Even before starting my CA journey, I had decided that I would do my articleship in Mumbai because it’s a big city with so many opportunities. When it finally happened, I was so happy. I got an articleship at Grant Thornton, which was such a big thing for me.
In my first year, I received a stipend of ₹8,000 per month which then increased to ₹12,000 in the second year and ₹14,000 in the third year. Though living in a hustling-bustling city like Mumbai, wasn’t easy. Managing all my expenses on my own with that stipend was tough in a city where everything is expensive. But the knowledge and learning experience I got were worth so much more than the money.
In the initial six months, I had the opportunity to go for an outstation audit for one and a half months, and it was a priceless learning experience. Those first six months were overwhelming, though. Traveling to clients’ places for audits, managing my classes, and balancing everything with articleship was quite challenging. It felt like there wasn’t enough time for anything, and I struggled to manage it all. But as time went on, I got into the routine and learned how to balance things better.
Looking back, those challenges and the busy schedule taught me so much. They gave me life experience and helped me grow not just professionally but personally as well.
How do you see Paridhi in Mumbai as different from Paridhi in Jaipur?
For this, I would say Paridhi in Jaipur and Paridhi in Mumbai were two completely different versions of me. Back in Jaipur, I was under confident and very dependent on my family and friends for even small things. I never traveled alone, whether it was going out with friends or attending events, I always needed someone to accompany me. I was comfortable in my little world and never really thought about stepping out of my comfort zone.
But moving to Mumbai changed me. Living in a big city all alone made me more independent. I had no choice but to learn how to manage things on my own. Initially, it felt scary, but it pushed me to grow. Joining Grant Thornton as an auditor played a big role in this transformation. As an auditor, I had to meet new people, communicate with clients, and handle things on my own. At first, I was hesitant, but slowly, it started building my confidence.
I think the turning point was realizing that I could do things on my own. From figuring out my way around the city to handling conversations with clients, I became a version of myself who wasn’t afraid to step out of my comfort zone. Looking back, I’d say my confidence-building journey truly started in Mumbai, and I’m so grateful for that phase of my life.
You worked at Deloitte and EY. How was your work experience at each firm?
I think both Deloitte and EY have quite similar work cultures in terms of being professional and client-focused. But, my experiences at both firms were unique and gave me exposure to different aspects of the profession.
At Deloitte, I was the first person in my team to handle a US-based client. It was an entirely new experience for me, and managing international clients gave me a broader perspective on how things work globally. It also taught me how to adapt quickly and handle responsibilities with minimal supervision.
When I moved to EY, the challenges were different. I was assigned work that I hadn’t even touched during my articleship, so it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had to put in extra effort to learn and manage tasks I wasn’t initially familiar with, but it turned out to be a great learning experience. I tried to give my best in every situation, and it made me more confident in handling new challenges.
Well all in all, both organizations gave me valuable exposure and helped shape my career in different ways.
You moved from Jaipur to Mumbai and then back to Jaipur. How did you manage the transition from a fast-paced city like Mumbai to Jaipur?
I moved back to Jaipur again which was an unplanned thing and happened due to some family urgencies. I had to prioritize my family at that time, so I decided to find opportunities in Jaipur itself. While exploring options, I came to know that EY had a vacancy in their Jaipur office. I applied, cleared the interviews, and joined them as an auditor.
Working in Jaipur was definitely different from Mumbai. The pace of work was a bit slower compared to what I was used to in Mumbai, but it still provided valuable experience. I worked there for about 6-7 months before I had to quit the job due to my marriage. Since the location where I’d be moving with my husband wasn’t decided whether it would be Bangalore or Bombay so I started looking into other options available for CAs. That’s when I began exploring alternative career paths within my field. My search led me to the Investment Banking course which was different from being an auditor so I started learning more about it.
Why did you choose investment banking as an alternative career option?
After gaining experience in audit, I realized that I have learned so much about audit and for the long-term, audit wasn’t the right career path for me. I wanted something more dynamic and challenging, where I could apply my skills in a way that aligned better with my long-term goals. That’s when I started exploring other career options available for CA students.
I came across investment banking and found it extremely intriguing. I began learning more about it through YouTube videos and found the concepts and opportunities in investment banking very informative. I became interested in this field because of its fast-paced nature, and job prospects with stable and high rewarding opportunities. .
After gaining a basic understanding, I started looking for the right guidance and stumbled upon The Wall Street School and contacted their Jaipur center. I reached out to Vaibhav from their team. He provided detailed information about their investment banking course, explaining how it could benefit my future. My husband always used to encourage me to step into this new field, so I decided to enroll in their self-paced course.
The engaging content and practical insights from the course gave me confidence. Though I was learning through videos, honestly they were so engaging and interesting. It felt like a natural fit for my ambitions, and I’m now pursuing a career in this exciting field.
How did the Investment Banking course help you become a Valuation Associate?
The WallStreet School’s self-paced course was very beneficial for me, even though it wasn’t a live video, but was actually interesting. First of all it allowed me to learn at my own pace, which suited my schedule and enabled me to revisit concepts whenever I needed. The content was good, covering key topics like financial modeling, valuation techniques, and industry insights.
The most important thing about this course is that it gave me practical knowledge I gained. It trained me using real-life case studies, practical exercises, and mock tests which gave me a strong foundation in valuation concepts.
After completing the course I applied for their placement process as they have a big industry network. Through their network and partnerships, I secured a role at Secretariat as a Valuation Associate.
For me, the course provided the necessary practical training, tools, and confidence that allowed me to pursue a career in valuation and contribute effectively in my role as a Valuation Associate.
We admire Paridhi because she’s determined, can adapt to new situations, and isn’t afraid to try new things in her career. Her experiences, from her time at Grant Thornton in Mumbai to her shift into investment banking, is an inspiring example for other people who want to work in finance and are open to exploring different paths.
