Rachaita (28) always aspired working at a consulting firm and after graduating as a Chartered Accountant in India, she discovered that Deloitte would be a great fit. 'Deloitte has a relaxed working environment with open communication and a strong focus on employee well-being', she explains. 'But I also very much like the huge focus on making an impact that matters. In India we would clean beaches and teach underprivileged kids. Initiatives that truly make a difference and make you feel you add value.'

No right or wrong For three and a half years Rachaita worked at Deloitte India, specializing in business valuations. 'This means valuing different companies for purposes such as financial reporting matters, mergers and acquisitions or for strategic purposes. But the team also values intangible assets, like the brands or customer relationships. It is a good mix of advisory and analysis. There is no right or wrong in this field', Rachaita says. 'You are at the sweet spot between quantitative and qualitative work, between numbers and critical thinking. Whether the client is in consumer business, financial services, infrastructure or healthcare, the framework stays the same but you have to dive into the key drivers of the business and build a story together with the team. An exciting job, in which you have to constantly keep up with changing markets.'

Move abroad 'I already had international valuation experience, and I felt moving abroad would be the right step in order to move up the chain. I wanted to grow personally and professionally, but I deeply liked Deloitte as an employer and the field I worked in. I therefore decided to move within the firm. Fortunately, Deloitte is a global organization, with firms all over the world. I went through all the options and although I had never been to the Netherlands, moving to Amsterdam made sense. The city is international, diverse and I had heard great things about the Valuations & Modelling team.' However, starting from scratch in a new country can be difficult from time to time. 'I totally underestimated how cold it was, when I first arrived here in February and I had a long list of practical things to do', Rachaita laughs. 'But my team was very supportive. They gave me enough breathing space to settle in, checked in with me regularly and gave me advice and tips for good food.'

A home away from home 'It helps that Deloitte is an international, diverse and inclusive organization. I see more similarities than differences since I moved here. I have more or less the same role here, combined with more client contact. And the way we approach work is also similar. Something I particularly observed and liked when I first moved here, is the openness and emphasis on mental health in the Netherlands. Everybody at Deloitte is supported by a coach and during my first meeting with him I assumed the conversation would focus on my ambitions and the kind of assignments I wanted to work on. But he was also very interested in how I was feeling and what energizes me in life', Rachaita says. 'It is the little things that make me feel extra welcome here, like everyone speaking English or the Holi event that the team recently hosted. This important Indian festival is celebrated as the festival of colours, love and spring and the fact that Deloitte paid attention to it made me feel I could have a home away from home. Pushing myself beyond my comfort zone and limits, is paying off. I can honestly say it has been great so far.'