Accountant with hands-on experience at all levels

My heart dropped as I read the letter. I’d just come back from an amazing family holiday in Croatia. The envelope had been on the doormat when I got back.

“We’re really sorry … blah, blah … difficult economic circumstances … blah…”

Why me? I just couldn’t comprehend it. I’d worked my socks off at work. I’d studied hard on block release. My tutors were confident I would pass – unlike one of the male students in my cohort.

But suddenly here I was, 3 days before my intermediate ICAEW exam results were due, soon-to-be unemployed.

It wasn’t just the loss of a job. It was potentially the loss of my career. Without a training contract, I couldn’t continue my studies to become a chartered accountant, even though I’d passed my exams.

Months of demoralisation followed. There seemed to be no accountancy training contracts available, and every industry job application was met with a similar response. You’re overqualified. We don’t doubt you can do it, we just don’t think you’ll stay.

Finally, I was offered a job with a shipping company. If I switched from ICAEW to ACCA, which frustratingly meant redoing all my intermediate level exams, they’d sponsor my studies. I accepted. A job was better than no job, and at least my career would be on the move again.

I quickly realised the benefits of my new role. Working for a firm of accountants had shown me how to create a set of accounts starting with a Trial Balance, but I’d had no clue what happened before that. Working in industry filled in the missing puzzle piece. It taught me how to do bookkeeping from the envelope on the doormat upwards.

The AAT published an article last week, quoting the director of an up-and-coming accountancy firm: “We’ve taken on some people who’ve gone into chartered qualifications straight from school but have missed bookkeeping qualifications,” says striveX Founder/Director Rachel Harris. “If we take on somebody like that, I’ll guarantee within six months they’ll be asking to do a week’s work experience with our bookkeeping team, because they don’t understand what’s going on at a basic level, such as debits and credits.”

In my career, I have come across many accountants who are not great at bookkeeping. If it weren’t for my unplanned detour into shipping, I would be one of them.

Not all accountants do bookkeeping. Not all bookkeepers do accounts or tax. If you’re looking to get solid foundations in place for your business, with the support of someone with hands-on experience at all levels, let’s connect!

I’m an ACCA-qualified accountant, operating under an AAT practising licence, keen to help self-employed small business owners learn to handle their own bookkeeping with confidence.

𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴

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