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I have been trying to crack this in one shot for a while. I feel like I have only got one shot. Nearly 33 and switched careers far too many times and I might have gone far too deep into depression and have just bounced back.
· I have worked in IT support for some time and hated every minute of it. Bachelors in IT.
· I worked in a business development role as a sales manager for three years and hated every minute of it. Master’s in business management.Now, I have worked in a few small accountancy firms voluntarily and really liked preparing P/L accounts, reconciliations, bookkeeping in general, maintaining ledgers for our clients, dealing with HMRC (!), speaking to people about compliance and what not. Long story short, I have been offered MAAT full membership based on my practical experience in this finance role and my academic papers from ACCA part qualification. (three more professional papers to go!)
My question is, I don’t want to not complete ACCA and would really like to make something out of it. I would like to work in an industry role where I will be dealing mainly internal stakeholders. I realise I have heavy competition from younger work force who just don’t mind taking on AP silos or AR silos in this type of role and toil away for couple of years. Should I follow the same route?
Are there any other routes I can mull about? For example, sticking with a practice until becoming fully qualified and make the move into industry as an assistant management accountant or a junior financial controller or something? If I should stick with a small practice, I have a job offer on hand. Hmm. It’s just the salary (22k) is a bit low but I guess, I like doing what I am doing, something relevant to what I studied. At least can get paid properly and not volunteer during rubbish hours anymore.
Also, I had a chat with few young’uns in the industry role working in AP and AR and they are basically doing bookkeeping on an international scale with SAP and see no way out of it. I would like to have the routine responsibilities that the internal industry roles can bring but the salary there is even more poorly and are ranging just over minimum wages for entry level roles ‘assisting’ the financial controller.
Would auditing specialisation help? I have a choice of ACCA’s professional papers between auditing and financial management.
Please give me some suggestions. I feel like I am too old from all this studying, volunteering and working full time for the past three years and always need three points of contact (!) to even stand upright! Sigh. ?
I would say, do your best to pass those last papers with ACCA and become a member. If you would like to apply for a practising certificate, you will need to pass tax and audit papers.
During my time, all I wanted was to become qualified so I chose the papers which I would have more chances of passing.
I qualified at 40 and it took me nearly 10 years with breaks in between. I can honestly understand your situation.
I have also worked from different companies and that also depresses me at times, because I always get asked why I left such and such a job, etc. But what I can tell you is that we should stop comparing our own path or journey with others. You can look at it as a positive thing, in that you have gained experiences and knowledge from working in different jobs, industries, or career, etc. Not many people have the guts to do what you’ve done to find your passion. Often, many people are afraid to switch jobs so they stay in the jobs they hate and become miserable for years.
Anyway, you are already nearly there in your ACCA qualification and you have AAT membership. I think you can get a reasonable salary for that background in the industry. You may be underselling yourself.
Best of luck!!!
@eagledave said:
I would say, do your best to pass those last papers with ACCA and become a member. If you would like to apply for a practising certificate, you will need to pass tax and audit papers.During my time, all I wanted was to become qualified so I chose the papers which I would have more chances of passing.
I qualified at 40 and it took me nearly 10 years with breaks in between. I can honestly understand your situation.
I have also worked from different companies and that also depresses me at times, because I always get asked why I left such and such a job, etc. But what I can tell you is that we should stop comparing our own path or journey with others. You can look at it as a positive thing, in that you have gained experiences and knowledge from working in different jobs, industries, or career, etc. Not many people have the guts to do what you’ve done to find your passion. Often, many people are afraid to switch jobs so they stay in the jobs they hate and become miserable for years.
Anyway, you are already nearly there in your ACCA qualification and you have AAT membership. I think you can get a reasonable salary for that background in the industry. You may be underselling yourself.
Best of luck!!!
thank you Dave! Very kind words.
You are absolutely right, I have to complete the rest of the papers. You have a point about taking both tax and audit. I was hoping to take up tax and finance management. Looks like I might be closing few doors on myself if go down that route.
This post is a random stint of depression episode that comes and goes. What I was hoping to get some insight on is whether it would be a good idea to join a 22k role (which I think is geared to become a practice manager down the line) or move into the industry which I think is where I would like to work… I just like the fixed and set expectations of me such as working with internal stakeholders, month end processes, quarter ends and year end audits..
You are right, I might be underselling myself and should just keep trying for other roles around my place. This above place is further away from my home than the city of London is. I don’t know why I bother.I have merely considered these transactional roles such as AP/AR/VAT assistants as way of entry into the company. Oftentimes people who are in these roles are just starting to study either CIMA or ACCA… and you are right, I might have to apply a tad bit higher.
I did try a couple of assistant management accountant roles and a role ‘assisting’ financial controller whatever that means. I have failed during the interview test with a random budgeting problem, managing a complex consolidation (!) and a job costing problem. There are people younger or sharper than me who can do these tests brilliantly on the spot? I was thinking it is not even possible. I mean these are difficult problems on par with our exam questions. Thats what sparked this post. Really knocks the confidence off few pegs these interviews.
It’s my pleasure. I think you can get more than 22k a year for what you already have. All it takes is confidence and presentation of your skills and abilities in your CV and at the interview.
If Industry is your choice, then I would say, keep trying for those roles and don’t give up applying. If one does not work, then you gain insights and experience. Never underestimate yourself which is easy to do in times of rejection.
For your practice background, you will probably get more chances of getting a Financial Accounting role in industry rather than Management Accounting. It also depends on the hiring manager. For me, when I hire people, I look at the person and not the specific skills only. It really depends. Keep trying until you find the best role for you. Remember there is no perfect role so you may have to compromise one or two things.
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