Mert’s unexpected career in financial due diligence
Mert Bilgen
Financial Due Diligence Analyst
Mazars in Turkey
Could you tell us about your job?
As a Financial Due Diligence Analyst, one of my main missions is to investigate the data at hand – and I can tell you, we deal with a lot of data! But investigating is only part of the work, I also make the necessary adjustments when needed. From time to time, to meet our clients’ needs, we have to travel; which is always a fun and enriching experience. And finally, in our types of jobs, we must stay in close contact with our clients and speak to them every day to show them that we are there to support them.
Joining Mazars was a bit unexpected for you! Can you tell us more?
Indeed, originally I was meant to start my career in the USA; however, COVID-19 hit, and I was confronted with some visa issues. Following this I joined a private credit company as an intern, but given the context I struggled to find a place to work that matched my aspirations. Then, I was fortunate to come across a position at Mazars, where the teams believed in my potential and gave me a chance in the deals teams in the transaction services department… and the rest is history!
Prior to joining Mazars you did not have a lot of experience in this sector, how did Mazars help prepare you for the job?
I was given a formal training at the beginning of my first year, which helped me get to grips with the basics and brush up on my technical knowledge. Then, I must commend my close-knit team who’ve accompanied me every step of the way; with their support I grew rapidly into the role and was able develop my skills through on the job practice. We are a small department which means that we get to spend a lot of time with each other, allowing all of us to have access to a strong support system. This human culture is very pronounced at Mazars and definitely makes the difference when you are starting a new role from scratch!
What are some of the important skills you have learnt whilst you have been at Mazars?
I have learnt to break out of my comfort zone, step into the unknown, and that in hard situations there’s always a solution. Learning to trust my gut instinct, to be proactive and to take initiative are all new leadership skills I’ve added to my bow, thanks to the trust my department places in me.
Moreover, consulting is great since you get to have an insight into many different industries and you also get to improve your inter-personal relationships because you spend a lot of time with your clients.
You have had to show a lot of resilience over the past few years. Any tips for someone who is faced with a similar situation?
Making mistakes is inevitable so trust yourself and make the necessary changes – eventually, you’ll find your way.