INTERVIEW WITH A PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Secondary school guidance

FRANCO ZENTILIN
Chartered Accountant and Accounting Specialist
Studio Porto Via del Friuli No. 6
33050 Marano Lagunare(UD)

Good morning, Chartered Accountant and Accounting Specialist Franco Zentilin, I would like to ask you some questions about your professional profile.

What is precisely your profession and how long have you been doing that professional role? Are you a

self-employed or employee, public or private one?

My job has an ancient history and a modern genesis. Thanks to history we deduce that the first organization of the "chartered accountant" profession  dates back to the DPR N ° 1067,  27^th  October 1953(published in Official Journal no. 34, 11^th  February 1953). On the contrary, the Legislative Decree No. 139, 28^th June 2005, has given rise to the establishment of the Order of chartered accountants and accounting specialists in accordance with Article 2 of Law No. 34,  24^th February 2005.
The  members of the Order of chartered accountants and accounting specialists  have specific skills in business and corporate law and, in any case, in economic, financial, tax, corporate and administrative functions.
I am registered since 20^th September 1989  and I am self-employed.

When did you understand that you would do your current profession in your life?

After being successful in the Economics and Commerce Faculty at the university in Trieste, with a thesis on mutual funds under the Italian law( they were normatively newborn), I was attempted by management companies to focus my attention on that subject. However, the attraction for the self- employed profession was so strong in those years of profound transformation of the Italian tax system,  to totally catch my interest.

Which study courses did you have to follow to enter the profession? What disciplines were they primarily focused on? How many years did they last?

The path I followed is the classic one: passing the state exam and graduation. I have to report that since 1989 the access path to the self- employment is repeatedly changed in time. Up to now, the

economic -  business subjects graduate who wants to join the Order has to bear a training period of 18 months, a part of them can be carried out during the university course. At the end of the period he is made admitted to make the exam. Finally, this complex exam must be passed.

The subjects to deal with are certainly numerous:

- general and applied accountancy

- business auditing

- industrial and commercial technique

- banking technique

- professional technique

- business technique

- private law

- commercial law

- bankruptcy law

- work law

- procedural and civil law

- political economics

- statistical mathematics

- professional legislation and ethics

What were the channels you took to get into your profession?

As graduated I asked to an office in the town of Udine for being hosted to carry out the professional practice. Once joined the office, I took part in its activities with the great desire to learn those aspects that the university course does not teach. Meanwhile, I kept studying with a perspective aimed to the state exam.  

How much autonomous your profession is?

According to a technical point, the autonomy degree is very wide. The freelancer can( rather must) develop his knowledges in that specialization better fitting to his own professional attitude.

According to a practical point, the autonomy degree is rather reduced in certain areas. In particular I refer to the office which ministers a company in all its tax and administrative fulfillments. This activity implies a constant( almost daily) dependence about the performance of the high number of tasks that fall upon companied and assisted professionals.

Which are the specific necessary knowledges and skills for practicing your profession?

Knowledges are related to the subjects which constitute the regulatory body for the state exam.  The skills are the result of a strong predisposition to updating and professional training as well as a special dedication to the customer.

How is your average working day? How many hours a day do you work?

I do not work less than ten hours a day, from Monday to Friday. I almost fill at least my Saturday mornings to the deepening and/or the scheduling of the work of the following week. However, at certain times of the year( e.g., balance sheets and tax returns) this time can be further expanded.

Are there any specialization areas  within your profession? If so, could you cite any examples?

After a solidus budget and tax law basis, I specialized in functions related to the board of auditors, in those related to banking disciplines and to the sorting of local territorial governments. The first specialization is linked to a series of controlling tasks in companies obliged to have the attendance of a control body. Even the banking subject is related to two tasks( very challenging) that for almost twenty years so far I have been taking part in contexts of particular specialization. The third one is linked to the desire to contribute, with an adequate professional training, to the improvement of the working of the local territorial governments.

What are the personality traits required to perform your job in the best way possible?

It is doubtless essential to grasp the customer's needs( even for the not - explicated part) using all professional competencies on behalf of him. You need to be able to work under stress in ever - shortened times without never losing the quality of the professional service which must guide the daily working.

You need to be prepared with a complete training in order to identify solutions for enterprises.

You sometimes need also to be able to become conscious of your own specialist unpreparedness in order to direct the customer's steps towards who better knows specialist profiles.  

Does your profession require regular updates? If so, what do they consist of?

In doing my profession you cannot ignore a continue updating and working training. The first one has to be developed almost day by day through the analysis of newspapers and magazines related to the sector. The second one must be designed and pursued in the continuum. I do not think there can be a colleague who does not continue constantly updating and forming in the continuum.

The market quickly expels the one who does not dedicate a significant amount of time in these two activities.

Could you list me the benefits resulting from the exercise of your profession and if there are any disadvantages?

The most significant advantage is the independence of thought that characterizes the self-employed. The most significant disadvantage is related to unconditional absorbency that a profession like my one requires: work and study certainly above the ordinary.

Have you ever had afterthoughts about having chosen this professional role?

The only aspect that has upset me in recent years is due to the huge working commitment and training that the profession demands. However, satisfaction and prestige are rewarding.

Have you ever done previous jobs that have influenced you in any ways in doing your current profession

( e.g., through the acquisition of particular skills) ?

No, I have not.

Does your profession allow you to work in the same place or does it imply in any cases moving in different places?

Over the years, the profession has taken on an increasingly customer-oriented connotation. So, I spend a lot of time at the headquarters of the assisted firms. In  the remaining part of my time I stay in my office to analyze the most complex practices and to meet customers. 

Do you think that today is an average easy or difficult task for a neo-worker to find a place in the working world after having chosen to do your profession?

I think that nowadays it is generally more difficult to enter the professional world compared to the time of my entry. I think very improbable to open a studio being 26 years as I was able to do. I think more probable to find hospitality in an office which sharing a professional growth and development plan with. And, after gaining a basis experience, you have to project a single or associated working path.

Would you like to recommend your professional role to future workers? If so, could you give any advice to those who want to do your profession?

Having personally taken part in the working of my territorial Order as Vice President with the delegation to Practitioners, I knew the path a lot of them have developed. Having the right ambition and large time is important to treat your own after - graduated and profession access education. You must not only be successful in the entrance examination of the Order. You must above all to pass the customer's exam. This exam is certainly daily and severe.

Thank you for your attention. Goodbye.