Amanda Alves’ journey to Ascentium Australia is anything but conventional. From starting as a receptionist in Brazil to working as an auditor in Sydney, her story is one of resilience, adaptability, and a touch of serendipity.
Along the way, she’s chased down phone thieves, cleaned schools, and even found a new passion for rugby league. Here’s how she built her career, embraced Australian culture, and why she’d buy the Rabbitohs in a heartbeat.
I started almost five years ago with Rothsay. Funny enough, I wasn’t even looking for a job at the time! I was at PKF when a recruiter called me about a senior auditor role. I thought, “Well, let’s see what my market value is!” — there was no commitment, just curiosity.
When I spoke with them, they asked me what I was missing at PKF that they could offer. That made me think because, at the time, I was on a graduate visa and really needed permanent residency. PKF planned to sponsor me, but not anytime soon. Rothsay, on the other hand, hadn’t done it before but said they were willing to try. I was a bit skeptical but they really showed me their commitment. After my probation period, they followed through, and thanks to them, I got my PR!
It was Daniel and Donovan — both super friendly. One of the funniest parts of my interview was when they gave me feedback about my psychometric test and asked why my “Decisiveness” score was so low. I joked that it was because I’m a Libra! Turns out, they both are too, so we ended up talking about astrology instead of my actual profile!
That goes way back! My first job in Brazil was as a receptionist at an accounting firm. I was constantly taking calls and passing on accounting-related messages, and over time, I picked up the basics. My colleagues encouraged me to study accounting, so I did. Eventually, I got promoted and started doing actual accounting work.
Then, Grant Thornton approached my university with an undergrad program, and I moved into audit. I stayed there for three years before joining a client’s accounting team. It was close to home—very convenient in Brazil, where commuting is a nightmare! But then, something happened that changed everything…
One day, my car was in the shop being repaired, so I had to take the bus. While waiting at the stop, two guys asked me for the time. As soon as I took out my phone, they pushed me, grabbed it, and ran. Without thinking, I chased after them, yelling! A stranger bumped into one of them, making him drop my phone, and I got it back.
I went to the police, but they just shrugged and said, “You’re not hurt, and you got your phone back—nothing to report.” The guys who stole the phone even told me, “We’re underage; you can’t do anything.” That moment made me realise how unsafe things were. My parents were terrified for me, and I decided I needed a fresh start. That’s when I moved to Australia.
Oh, 100%. I came with no English! In Brazil, English classes are expensive, and schools don’t teach you much beyond basic words. So, I came as a student to learn. The first thing I noticed here was that everything felt so safe and structured, but language was a real challenge, and I needed a job immediately since my parents couldn’t support me from Brazil.
Oh, I did everything! My first “job” was actually hilarious—I got paid to attend a birthday party and dance with other paid random dancers on the dancefloor so guests would feel encouraged to join in! After that, I worked in a pizza truck making pizzas for parties, and I also cleaned schools, boarding schools, and houses, including one that operated as a family childcare.
But my turning point was when my cleaning supervisor asked me to wash windows—in the pouring rain! That’s when I said, “No more!” and started looking for accounting jobs.
I do, but I’ve also embraced Australian culture a lot. I used to follow soccer religiously, but now I’m obsessed with rugby league! Rothsay actually introduced me to the Rabbitohs, and now I’m a huge fan!
Oh, hands down, Alex Petrakis! Then Daniel and Deborah. I’m still the “junior” fan, but I go to a lot of games—even Grand Finals! I hope the Rabbitohs play in the Grand Finals one day. I’ve just seen the reserve grade playing on the Grand finals day (and winning!).
I love hiking. Last Easter, I did the Bondi to Manly walk — 40,000 steps a day for three days. And I’ve finally started travelling more. I’ve been to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and various countries in Europe. I love experiencing different cultures, but I do miss Brazilian-style beach bars—we don’t have that here!
Oh, yes! One we used in audit was “Somebody Love.” If a partner needed something last-minute to sign off, my manager would say, “Can you do some ‘Somebody Love’ on this?” — basically, make it work!
Another one we have is ‘Let’s do the rice and beans first!’ Basically when people want to be innovative and do something really crazy, we tell them to do the basics first – because rice and beans are standard in our diets.
I’d buy the Rabbitohs! I’d love to be like Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso, making big decisions and bossing people around!
And hopefully, if it ever happens, we will be able to see them playing at Grand Finals!