How Osome Supported Its First Hires in Sri Lanka

Being among the first to join a company in a new market comes with an exciting opportunity. You get to be part of something from the beginning, contribute to a growing team, and help shape what comes next.

But being first shouldn’t mean having to figure everything out on your own.

Who will I learn from? Who do I turn to when I get stuck? What will working with colleagues in other countries actually feel like? And how much will I have to figure out as I go?

“Help us build something” can be an exciting invitation. When it involves your career, you’re entitled to ask what that invitation means, and what kind of support you can expect along the way. These are fair questions, especially when you’re among the first to join a team in a new market. 

A job description can explain the responsibilities. An interview can introduce you to your manager. But neither can fully show you what your working day will feel like once you close the recruitment emails and open your first assignment.

That’s where the experience after joining matters. At Osome, we believe setting people up for success starts from day one. It’s not just about welcoming someone to the team, but making sure they have the guidance, resources, and people around them to get started and grow their roles. Having the right support can make a real difference in how you settle into your role.

Ravindu and Sazna joined Osome as our first accountants in Sri Lanka. With no established local team to learn from, joining Osome meant becoming part of something new while connecting with colleagues across different countries. 

So we’re handing the story over to them: what caught their attention, what convinced them to join, and what being set up for success has looked like during their first few weeks.
 

Before you could be our first accountants, we had to earn your interest

An unfamiliar company name has to compete with everything else in your job search: established employers, recommendations from friends, and the perfectly reasonable option of staying where you are.

Being approached is one thing. Deciding an opportunity deserves your attention is another. Before thinking about what it means to be among the first accounting hires, there’s a more basic question: what made Osome worth exploring in the first place?

Where did you first hear about Osome, and what initially caught your interest to explore the opportunity?

Ravindu: I first came across Osome while exploring new career opportunities in accounting. What caught my attention was the opportunity to work with an international company that takes a modern approach to accounting. I was curious to learn more about how the team operates and how technology is incorporated into everyday accounting processes.

Sazna: I first discovered Osome through a job listing on LinkedIn while looking for modern finance opportunities. What immediately caught my interest was their unique approach to blending artificial intelligence with cloud accounting. The prospect of working with a tech-driven global firm expanding into Sri Lanka felt like a perfect match for my career goals.

You knew you would be among the first. What made you say yes?

“First hire” can mean the chance to have a voice early on. It can also leave you wondering who will show you the ropes.

The title alone doesn’t tell you whether an opportunity is right for you. That depends on the work, the people, the support, and what you want from your next move.

Joining a company that’s entering a new market can feel different from joining an established local team. There’s the opportunity to be part of something new, but there may also be questions about what the experience will actually look like.

We wanted to understand what made Ravindu and Sazna decide to take that step, and what gave them the confidence to join Osome as some of its first accountants in Sri Lanka.

Knowing you would be among Osome’s first accountants in Sri Lanka, what excited you about the opportunity? Did you have any concerns, and what ultimately convinced you to join?

Ravindu: What excited me most was the opportunity to be part of a growing team from the beginning. Being among the first accountants in Sri Lanka meant there would be a lot to learn, but also an opportunity to contribute as the team develops. I was initially curious about how the onboarding and day-to-day collaboration would work without an established local team. Learning more about the support available from colleagues in other countries helped me feel more comfortable about taking that step.

Sazna: Being part of the founding cohort in Sri Lanka felt like a rare opportunity to shape a new hub's culture from the ground up. Naturally, I wondered about the stability of a new regional entity, but those concerns vanished during the thorough recruitment process. The clarity of Osome's vision, coupled with their structured global growth program, completely convinced me that this was the right place to build my career.

The offer is a promise. The first week is where you find what support looks like 

During recruitment, support is something a company can describe. Once you join, it becomes practical.

Do you know what to work on? Can you find the information you need? When you ask a question, does someone make time to help you understand the answer? 

For an accountant joining a new team in Sri Lanka, those everyday details can matter far more than the welcome announcement. Being set up for success means more than completing an onboarding checklist. It’s about having the support to understand your responsibilities, learn how things work, and know where to turn when you need help. 

We asked Ravindu and Sazna to take us back to their first few weeks and share what that support has looked like in practice.

What was your first week at Osome actually like? How did the onboarding process help you understand your responsibilities and get started with your work? Was there any particular support or guidance that stood out for you?

Ravindu: My first week was mainly about getting familiar with the systems, understanding the workflows, and learning how the team operates. There was quite a lot of information to take in, but having guidance from colleagues made the process easier to navigate. What I appreciated most was being able to ask questions whenever I needed clarification. It helped me gradually build confidence in handling my responsibilities rather than feeling like I had to figure everything out on my own.

Sazna: My first week was incredibly structured, dynamic, and welcoming. The onboarding process broke down the complex global workflows into manageable milestones, ensuring I understood our unique corporate ecosystem and KPIs. What stood out most was the dedicated mentorship from senior team members, who spent hours guiding me through the proprietary software systems and internal tools.

Learning the ropes with a team beyond borders

Joining a new team can take some getting used to, especially when the people you work with are based in different countries.

You might be learning new processes, getting familiar with how the team communicates, or trying to understand who to approach for different questions.

That’s where the people around you can make a difference. Beyond the initial onboarding, it’s the everyday conversations, shared knowledge, and willingness to help that can make a new role feel less unfamiliar. 

For Ravindu and Sazna, joining Osome also meant becoming part of a wider international team. We wanted to know what working with colleagues across borders has actually been like. 

As one of Osome’s first accountants in Sri Lanka, what has it been like working with colleagues in other countries? Can you share an example of how the team collaborates or helps each other?

Ravindu: Working with colleagues from different countries has been a valuable learning experience. Even though we're not all based in the same location, communication and teamwork play an important role in how we work together. Whenever I need clarification on a process or encounter something unfamiliar, I can reach out to the team for guidance. It's encouraging to know that there's a wider team to learn from, especially when you're still getting used to a new working environment.

Sazna: Working alongside an international team has been both seamless and incredibly enriching. We operate with a highly inclusive and collaborative mindset, frequently utilizing shared spaces to tackle complex cross-border compliance questions together. For instance, when dealing with intricate international client cases, colleagues from Singapore and the UK jumped on a quick call to share their market-specific expertise and help me resolve it efficiently.

What should the next accountant know before joining?

By now, you’ve heard our questions. If you’re considering joining Osome, you probably have a few of your own.

You might want to know how the work compares with your previous role, how people collaborate across countries, or what you’ll be expected to learn. You might simply want someone to tell you what they wish they’d known.

Although Ravindu and Sazna are still early in their journey with Osome, their experiences so far can give you future teammates a better idea of what joining the company looks like. 

That’s why we’re giving the final word to the people who once had to make this decision themselves.

Based on your experience so far, what advice would you give to another accountant in Sri Lanka who’s considering joining Osome? What would you want them to know before their first day?

Ravindu: I would encourage them to come in with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Working in a new environment means getting familiar with different systems, processes, and ways of collaborating, so it's important to be adaptable and comfortable asking questions. You don't need to know everything from the beginning. What matters is being willing to learn, take initiative, and make the most of the support and opportunities available to you.

Sazna: My primary advice is to approach this opportunity with an open mind and be ready to embrace a fast-paced, tech-driven environment. For those looking to join from outside Singapore, it is great to know that the company keeps you highly motivated through structured performance bonuses and official company merchandise, which makes you feel valued and connected right away. Before your first day, know that you are entering an incredibly supportive global structure where hard work is recognized and career progression is actively championed.

Your next move deserves good questions

Being first makes a memorable introduction. What happens after joining is what helps you build a career.

At Osome, setting people up for success goes far beyond their first day. It’s about helping them find their feet, connect with the right people, and have the support they need as they take on new responsibilities.

For Ravindu and Sazna, this is only the beginning. As Osome continues to grow its presence in Sri Lanka, we’re looking forward to seeing how they grow with the team.

If you’re an accountant in Sri Lanka and considering Osome, bring your questions into the conversation. Ask how onboarding works, who you’ll learn from, what success looks like, and what might take some adjustment.

You’re choosing the people you’ll work with and the work you’ll spend your days doing. You deserve enough detail to make that choice.

Curious about your next chapter in accounting? Explore opportunities at Osome and let’s start a conversation.