welcome to our merry little band. You're right, we are a pretty freindly and supportive bunch on here.
Whats your history? are you new to bookkeeping, just passed the exams, old hand?
Who are you affiliated with AAT, ICB, IAB, ACCA?
Always good to have one more on board. Hope to talk lots in the coming months.
All the best,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Well I have been working in accounts and payroll for over 17 years and was forever being encouraged to pursue AAT by our company Auditors, finally bit the bullet four years ago so am currently AAT qualified, the plan next is to move onto CIMA.
At the moment I am applying for my practice licence with AAT and hope to get some clients outside of work and hopefully earn the money to fund the CIMA course. Just having a crisis of confidence so its really nice to think there are friendly forum places such as what you have here.
I think that everyone has those little crises of confidence from time to time. I think that's what sets this site appart in the fact that you don't just get sound technical advice when you need it but it's also a good sounding board and a ready made group of supportive, like minded people.
I think good call on CIMA rather than ACCA. I'm with the latter and although I swear by them as an excellent organisation the restrictions that they place on you, even if you are qualified through other supervisory bodies can be a bit draconian to the point where I believe that it's near impossible to run a successful bookkeeping business whilst you are a student with them.
All the best,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I think thats exactly what is needed. Most of us I would say know which direction to head in but just need that little nod that we are heading in the right direction.
Yes it does seem a little strange that practising while an ACCA student has the restrictions that CIMA does not have. I think with me working in industry then the CIMA would suit myself more than ACCA. I am really looking forward to studying again but not looking forward to the fear and dread of exam time.
How about you Shaun, are you currently running a business or are you employed?
Good luck to all of your who are currently self employeed runnig booking businesses, I would hope to join your ranks soon.
just imagine a hundred or so bookkeepers out there all nodding at you. I think that you are going in the right direction and you've obviously done your homework on the best way to get there.
Of exams I've found that the run up to them is hell but the actual exams are great. If anything I think that you get quite addicted to them. I love those three hour challenges... Just wish that they were four hours long as I never have enough time to fully complete the papers.
Oh god, once I've finished ACCA I'm going to have to do CIMA or something just to get my six monthly fix!!!
Of myself, I run my own consultancy business supplying systems expertise to the uk retail and commercial banks. It's a limited company model and I've been in business since 1990.
Having to argue with Acturaries all of the time one really has to have a good footing in Accountancy which is what started me off along the ACCA path back in 2004.
I started a bookkeeping side to my business in 2008 as I actually found that I enjoyed the financial accountancy side of things more than the management accountancy and also being a single parent with sole custody it also had the appeal of meaning that I could work from home rather than being torn between client sites in London, Edinburgh and Manchester.
I joined the ICB to get MLR cover but unfortunately the bookkeeping arm of the business never took off as the restrictions placed on me by the ACCA meant that I was unable to offer the range of services that I would have as an ICB member with no other affiliations.
At the end of the day getting the ACCA qualification for my work in banking is worth more to me than the return that I could make from bookkeeping.
I've still not fully passed the ACCA although my STR is fully signed off and parked ready for membership. All the way through I studied UK standards but now at the final paper (P2) I've swapped to International standards so, likely to be December this year before I attempt that one. Keep your fingers crossed for me won't you.
Once I'm fully qualified ACCA I'll re-review the direction of my company as it is still my intention eventually to have my own practice. I just don't want to burn any banking bridges to get there.
Good luck with starting your business. I'm sure that you will be just fine but always rememnber that if you have any problems there is always someone on here to give you that bit of support that you need.
All the best,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Sound a very broad and exciting business with plenty of ideas on the back burner for the future so well done you.
Im loving that you seem to thrive unde exam pressure, I like to keep very busy my self and arnt afraid of hard work but when it comes to exams I think im happiest once im in there doing them rather than sitting at home a fretting about them. My worst fear is reading a paper and not having anything to put down. It happened to mye whilst I was doing my G.C.S.Es IO sat there, fell into a blind panick for a short while then had a good talk to myself and once something was down on paper then I was away!!!
I think listening to teachers exam techniques are also very useful. My tutor told me on the last AAT paper to do section 2 before section 1, a comment that most of our class had forgotten as soon as it was mentioned but I have to say I took it on board and it really stood me in good stead. It was really calming to know one section was out of the way and you had bags of time to complete the other section. I know what you mean about not having enough time, there have been a few papers I have completed without having enough time to double check all of the answers, perhaps this is a technique i should work on before I start CIMA.
Will certainly keep my fingers crossed for you Shaun but by the sounds of it I think you have it covered, well done
