Hello! I've just come across your site on a trawl from IAB to ICB via AAT and back again, and already reading through the forums has given me plenty to think about! I'm working on bank reconciliations right now, full time , but would hope to be doing something much more varied and interesting in the future. Once upon a time, many years ago, I started as a junior in a little accounts firm doing manual accounts, and although I thought it was terrible at the time, I do have regrets over leaving... Hopefully this place will help me in my quest!
Welcome to the forum. You must have a lot of patience being able to sit and do bank reconciliations every day, I know I would not have the patience to do the same thing. But suppose at the end of the day it is a paid job which is a good thing in the recession.
Would say that if you want varied and interesting in the future self employed is the way to go, but would say depending on which area in the country you are in now is not the best time to start this as too many bookkeepers setting up and not enough clients as some small businesses deciding to do their own to keep overheads down.
My patience only holds out becuase although its not strictly the job I applied for (it was a new firm and the advert and job spec were a bit vague), it *is* a job and the only thing I have to support myself and b/f. And the people are the nicest at any company I've worked for. Job market in Northumberland isn't good, so I would reckon on chances for a good start in self employment aren't either, but will ask around at business link.
Would say definitely worth checking with Business Link. I have been self employed bookkeeper since August 2006, the recession has made it dwindle to the point I have looked for full time job. I thought the job market was bad in this area also but from the evening of 10th October when I decided to start applying to jobs to 30th October I had 5 interviews and have been offered a job (have not decided yet to take it as salary on the low side I think) but the job market better then people have been saying. If you say employment not so good in Northumberland it may be good for self employment bookkeeper, this is because if their not many jobs it may be that businesses don't want the cost of full time member of staff so if they don't want to do own bookkeeping they taking on self employed bookkeepers who they pay for hours they do (no employers NI, sickness holiday etc) and if some months transactions are low because of the recession, they don't have to pay someone to sit idle as they pay by the hour, so you may be in luck in your area unless majority of businesses have closed in your area.
Alison
-- Edited by Alison on Monday 2nd of November 2009 09:13:04 AM
, but would hope to be doing something much more varied and interesting in the future. Once upon a time, many years ago, I started as a junior in a little accounts firm doing manual accounts, and although I thought it was terrible at the time, I do have regrets over leaving...
