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Hello people,
So heres the story.
Im a 40year old male and I have worked in accountancy for the same firm (23years!) since leaving school. I studied AAT and passed in 1994 and decided that was enough for me.
Young and daft I know.
So around 2009 I had become a little unsettled and aggrieved with certain aspect of my job and salary in comparison to my workmates, doing the same work and earning more.
I tried to get another job, but all I heard from potential employers and recruiters were things like “you have the experience but not the qualification”.
So I decided in 2010 to take the plunge and become a mature student and self-study ACCA, which I have now successfully passed and become a member.
But now the tables have turned completely. Employers dont want me, when I apply for jobs, the feedback I get is “you have a lovely CV and experience, but you have worked for your current employer too long”!!
So here I am still stuck in a dead end job, low salary, and morale at an all time low!I really feel deflated and feel that I have wasted 4 hard years of my own time and money, lost out on family time, just to realise that apparantly loyalty is not what people are looking for these days.
Anyone else in the same boat? Discriminated against by potential employers because of age and loyalty?
ACCA is a fantastic qualification but I really feel like Ive wasted my time studying. 🙁
Not in the same boat but not surprised; employers baffle me sometimes!
Could you find a similar paid job but with different tasks/responsibility and use them to get experience? Then in 2 years you should be able to get the salary you deserve!
Have considered contracting? The requirement tend to be different and more lenient. I would contact for a while then apply for a permanent position.
I am a completely different situation. I am now an ACCA affiliate but without practical accounting experience. I have been rejected by employers due to my lack of accounting experience !
Hi Folks, just an update.
Im still desparately trying to leave my current employers, even more so after today.
I had my appraisal today, and said I wanted to discuss my salary level now that I am qualified and a member of ACCA.
The partners, who were appraising me, shot me straight down, and said “Appraisals are not the time to discuss salaries, and just because I have a fancy certificate now does’nt entitle me to a payrise, your still doing the same work as before”.
I thought appraisal would be the ideal opportunity to discuss salary? It is with most other firms?
I felt totally and utterly deflated, and this almost confirms to me now that I have completely wasted 4 years of my own time and money studying ACCA.
Any thoughts?
What roles are you going for Marky? Are you looking at other practice roles? or looking at industry type positions?
Zootcat makes an interesting point, contract roles /temp often need someone who can come in to fill a void, for that they need someone that has expert knowledge and experience so this can be done quickly and effortlessly from their side. Maybe this is something you could consider on a temporary basis? Contracting often offers a higher rate of pay, but for short term positions
Hi,
I was just reading your thread and was wondering if you manage landing a better job ?
If so what did you ?
I am in a similar situation and i need abit of advice.
I agree – it’s your employer which is the problem, not the qualification.
You’re making me worried as I’ve been with my company 9 years…..I plan to stay for another 1 /1.5 years until I get my ACCA qualification and then I plan to get a better job/more responsibility etc (dare to dream!).
Hopefully I’ll find someone who’ll take a chance on me…but you never know :-/
Good luck with the job hunting
I am in a similar position to tyc7700 where i am an ACCA member but without much practical experience as I have only done a few tasks once which was enough to complete my PER but not enough to help me get into a new role.
I am working as a Finance asst (although i am fully qualified) and really struggling.like the OP, I am 33 and feel as if i wasted so much time/energy doing my ACCA!
almost 40 still in level 2 of acca and have only worked as an accounts payables clerk. nothing much to fill of per file. I too have tried applying elsewhere to get the experience so that I can fill out the per requierements but without success. I completed the CAT qualification in 2008. Went on to do ACCA but due to personal family matters I had to take a break to keep my sanity. Now I feel I have wasted my time . Not getting younger. Don’t know what to do would seriously like some advice.
We all go through it, feel the pain, but then don’t stay there for too long. When you are ready again, take action, re-visit your CV, highlight your strengths, capitalise on what you’ve got at this stage. There is always that right employer who will be willing to take you in because you are the best candidate at that moment in time. In other words, if you give up because employers tell you, you don’t have this or that, you’re not good enough, etc etc. If you take that to heart, it will drag you down even deeper. Use it, there is a message for you there, use it to fuel you to reach your goals.
Feeling like you wasted your time is a test and it is life’s telling you, keep going! 🙂 I felt that several times, seriously, for every hundreds of CVs you send each time and 2 interviews, they give you experience, then by the time you sit for that one employer, you would have had all the energy and preparation required, and you will just be the right person they are looking for, with all that passion, drive, character, and ambition.
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