Informal Interview with Oracle's Accounting Manager: Career Path

This report presents an informal interview conducted with Kristina Fish, an Accounting Manager at Oracle, to gain insights into the accounting profession and career opportunities at Oracle. The interview covers various aspects of her job, including her journey to Oracle, the positive aspects such as the diverse and motivating work culture, and the challenges like demanding work timings and intense internal competition. Kristina shares her learnings, highlighting the importance of communication skills and continuous learning, and emphasizes the criticality and responsibility associated with handling Oracle's finances. She also provides valuable advice for aspiring accountants, stressing the importance of hard work and a strong foundation in accounting principles. The interviewer reflects on the key takeaways, including the significance of patience, perseverance, and communication skills in the accounting field, and underscores the commitment to continuous learning and building a solid career foundation. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Informal interview
Kristina Fish

About the organization and candidate
Oracle is an American multinational computer technology corporation which is headquartered in
California. The company specializes in developing database software and technology, enterprise
software products and cloud engineered systems. It is the world’s second largest software making
company.
I interview Kristina Fish, Accounting manager at Oracle, Manchester. Kristina has been working with
Oracle since the May 2013 before which, he was associated with Baker Newman Noyes. My interview
with her was as below:
Interview
Me: Hi Kristina, I got your reference from a friend of mine and I needed to gain a little insight about your
job in order to make some career choices since I am personally looking at a career in accounting
Kristina: Sure, feel free to ask me anything.
How did you get this job?
Well, I have been working with Oracle since 2013 and I have worked on three of their important
projects. I first applied for the job online through LinkedIn and online job portals. Back then I was
working with Baker Newman Noyes.
After various attempts at applying, I finally got a call and scheduled a telephonic interview which was
followed by a face to face interview. Post that I was selected!
What aspects of the job do you like?
I love the fact that it is a very diverse organization and hence we get a chance to communicate with
people from different cultures and nations. There are various opportunities for growth and learning. The
overall culture at Oracle is also very motivating. Since the beginning of my career here, I have worked on
three major projects and all of them have been a source of different learning. The monthly feedback
system also helps me in getting appropriate feedback and helps us all be on track
Challenges with the job?
Oh well, the work timings can get extremely excruciating. We are often pulling late nights and then
coming back for early morning shifts. Oracle hires really talented people from across the globe and this

is why the internal competition can get quite intense. Besides that sometimes, the diversity of the
workplace can make communications difficult but we are constantly working to improve the same.
What have been your learnings from the job?
Besides my core subject, I have learnt how to deal with people. I used to be very shy but now I have
worked upon improving my communication.
What is the most motivating factor about this job?
It is the criticality of the tasks that are given to us. Handling accounts of a business which runs on such a
massive scale makes you responsible. We have access to really confidential data. This trust shown by the
company is motivating enough. Besides the annual bonuses and incentives of course! (Laughs).
What attracted you the most to join Oracle?
Besides the massive brand name of the company, I have had a few friends and acquaintances work here.
I have been following Oracle on all my social media platforms and I loved the work culture. This is when I
decided to apply for the firm.
Any advice that you would like to give me?
Honestly, if you are looking for a career in accounting, I would suggest that work really hard and get
enrolled with the firm. There will be various opportunities. The job can often get taxing but it is totally
worth the effort. Never go away from the basics of the subject. Continue to study hard and build a solid
foundation from the beginning of the career.
My learnings from the interview
I learnt that it requires immense patience and perseverance to work in the accounting department. The
employees who work in accounting are bestowed upon with a lot of responsibility. Companies trust
employees with their finances and it is imperative that the employees do not misuse the information.
I also realized that there is not end to learning. Within the same office, people can work on different
projects and accelerate their growth in the organization. Communication also plays an important role in
the success of any business. Therefore I will also work upon improving my communication skills in order
to build mutually beneficial relationships in the business.

I would continue to work on the basics of the subject and build a strong foundation for my long term
career in the firm. Overall, the experience was fruitful and I was able to gain a much deeper insight upon
the intricacies of the accounting job at Oracle.