CIMA student Zeng Yi (pictured) tells Velocity about her love of long distance swimming and how she managed to pass five exams in one diet. By Larry Zhang, communications manager, CIMA China.
Tell us about your educational background.
I achieved a Master's degree in English from Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1997 and then an MBA degree from London Business School in 2002.
Why are you studying CIMA?
I'd like to improve my expertise in specific areas. General knowledge and experience is very important - such as you get from an MBA. But CIMA can build up your knowledge in certain areas richly and quickly. This will be a complement to general business and management knowledge such as one might gain from training or work.
For example, I was already quite familiar with the material in P5 Integrated Management from my MBA study and years of management experiences.
But for P7 Financial Accounting and Taxation I had to spend quite some time reading and practising diligently. My MBA and work experience were not useful for these technical subjects. This is exactly why I chose CIMA ' it extends my knowledge in general management and builds up my technical skills.
You obtained exemptions to all certificate level papers and one managerial level paper, and passed all the other five managerial level papers at the first attempt in last November. What is the secret of your success?
The most important thing is to take the exams seriously and work really hard at them. You have to ask yourself the question: how seriously do I want to pass them? Really seriously - so I'd like to spend all my available time studying them? Or - nice to pass them but fair enough if I don't as I am already so exhausted from day to day work and study?
I'd like to quote an old saying here: where there is a will, there is a way. It is yours if you really want it badly and toil to get it.
So the turning point came when I became serious about the exams. I got all the books - thanks to a very supportive friend - at the end of July, but didn't bother too much reading any of them until I moved to another city in mid-September. Life was too full of temptations in Beijing to study, where I had all my friends and old entertainments. After I moved to Shenyang with my husband, I found that I lost myself. This was the first time I'd ever been a full time housewife. I got quite some pleasure from studying full time. It became an everyday business ' something to re-establish my identity and justify my value, not to others, but to myself. I need to feel that I am making the most of my time to have a fulfilling life.
Why did you decide to take five exams at once?
It was a very risky decision. I was over confident after only skipping through the books in the summer. When I really sat down to study them carefully, I realised how pompous I was thinking that CIMA was a piece of cake. Actually, due to the time I had from mid-September to mid-November, I didn't do any of the revision questions at the end of the books. It was down to luck as well as hard work that I passed all the five exams.
In hindsight, I would advise against taking all five exams at one go. It could easily backfire if you don't have sufficient time and you would end up dipping into every subject but being expert in none.
Have you faced any other challenges studying for CIMA and how have you overcome these?
I studied all alone. Sometimes, I could not help yelling in the air to let out some of the fatigue. I swam every day to get myself fresh, but had to drop the exercise and use all possible time in a last-ditch effort just before the exams in November. Chatting with my husband also helped.
I would advise CIMA candidates to get into a study group, for complaining together, for supporting each other, for questions and answers. Studying alone requires a strong focus, but is a lot less fun.
What do you intend to do once you have passed all your exams?
I plan to work in the finance sector.
What are your long term aims and do you have a dream job?
My long term aim is to be a happy person. For me, it means living a fulfilling and healthy life with my loved ones. I don't have a particular dream job. A job for me is a means for an end - offering some fulfilment, but not everything.
What are your hobbies?
I am a long distance swimmer - I could easily swim 3000 metres! I also enjoy reading.
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