Getting back to books

There was a period of time in life when all I could think about was books and exams. That was during the first 3 years of the new millennium and that was the time I was neck deep in my preparations for CA and CS. I would be appearing for one exam or the other every six months and would not have enough time for anything else other than studies. With the dawn of 2004, things started getting better for me. 13 January 2004, I became a Chartered Account and on 25 February 2004, I became a qualified Company Secretary. Life took a major turn for better and here I was, on the look out for jobs. From Deloitte to Wipro to Ernst and Young to Outsource Partners International, I was on a whirlwind tour of jobs. 4 jobs in 20 months and finally I found my calling in OPI in the F&A BPO industry. Things have been pretty good with me ever since I joined this company. A good job profile, a team that is extremely loving, caring and understanding, a management that is highly supportive and encouraging, flexible work timings, enough time to spend with family and fairly good pay- almost everything that one could ask for. When I thought things are going hunky dory, comes a threat- another exam. This time, it is APM or Accounts Payable Manager. This is a certificate course by a certifying authority in the US and is very specific to the BPO Industry which I am part of. I am supposed to be appearing for the 90 minute online exam on 28th August and am yet to start my studies. I have been given a huge study material to read through and for the first time in my life, I am getting jitters at the very thought of the exam. Probably, it is the time gap between 2003 and 2007. It has been a jolly good 4 years since I touched any kind of academic books and that is clearly showing in the kind of anxiety that is building up within me. I would like to believe that I am a fighter and have decided to make the best use of my time for the next couple of weeks and put in my best efforts to emerge a winner in my APM. You would not be coming across any new posts in this blog for the next 2 weeks as I will be on study leave for APM and then on Onam Holidays. This probably will be my last post during August 2007. So, readers, wish you all a very Happy Onam and I will catch you all next month with some more news, views and reviews. Till then, I humbly request all of you to pray for my success in the APM exams. Anxiously yours, Sreeram