There are a couple of part time bookkeeping jobs available in my area and from the job description they sound straight forward. Having never been involved in a bookkeeping role my whole body is stopping me from pressing the send button in email. Has anybody else been in this situation or is it that deep down i think or know i'm not ready? How did you overcome this problem? maybe i just need to see a shrink :)
Its only human nature to expect the worst case scenario.
To expect the questions that you cannot answer, to expect accounts on software that you haven't used, etc.
We will invariably put off taking the first step on the assumption that we will fall but, using the same logic as the child walking around a coffee table. Unless you let go and take that first step away from the saftety of what you know you will never be able to walk let alone run.
With this business it will always be a case of the more that you know the more that you realise that you don't and if you always hold off until you feel that you are ready you never will be.
It always helps if your first clients know less than you do (despite our training that's not always the case!) and your confidence will grow from there. Before you know it you will be looking back on your initial apprehension and wondering what on earth you were so worried about.
Now get those CV's sent off as to quote a phrase, you have to be in it to win it.
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.
I'm the same, I start off positive then slowly talk myself out of things, or I used to. Now I have a 'Dr Pepper moment' where I think to myself - what's the worst that could happen? If the answer doesn't involve risk of death then I go for it!!!! You never know til you try, might even turn out that they're not what you're looking for!!! Have a go and you'll surprise yourself what you are capable of. Good luck, Maria.
There are a couple of part time bookkeeping jobs available in my area and from the job description they sound straight forward. Having never been involved in a bookkeeping role my whole body is stopping me from pressing the send button in email. Has anybody else been in this situation or is it that deep down i think or know i'm not ready? How did you overcome this problem? maybe i just need to see a shrink :)
Hi Neil,
Think of it as you interviewing them. Open with "thank you for coming to my interview" . Neither you nor they want a job that's not suitable. Think of Maria approaching the Von Trapp household for the first time and press the send button. I always worry less once things are sent/posted.
I think being anxious about job applications is perfectly natural.
The question is what do you actually feel? For example, are you worried about not getting the position? Are you worried that you will be unable to fulfil the role once you are in it?
From what you say it sounds like you are worried about being a bookkeeper for the first time and you are wondering if you can do the job.
If that is the case you lose nothing by going to see them. The interview is not a competition, its a matching process and, as Tim says, you will be 'interviewing' them as well (but dont make it too obvious ) Hopefully, by the end of the interview you will know more about what is required.
Remember, only once you have been offered the position do you have to make a decision about taking the job - if you don't like the set up just say thanks, but no thanks.
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.................just an ICB student, at the moment.
good line in there about interviewing the interviewer.
I remember having an interview with a local accountant and half way through the interview having to tell them that I did not think that they were qualified enough to employ me!
Up until that stage they had assumed that the interview was a one way affair.
In another situation I actually started talking through the previous years accounts of the business that was interviewing me and the owner demanded to know where I had got the information from... They hadn't realised at all that anyone can download their accounts off the companies house website!
My all time classic though was an interview for a contract with a utility company. I could tell that the interview was going badly and the two interviewers really did not seem at all interested in my answers. Towards the end of the interview I got the stock "What do you feel that you will bring to this role". to which my answer was "Awful ties and alchol abuse!".... I got the job!!!!
Turned out that the interviewers had seen a long succession of corporate drones and just wanted to employ someone that they could stand sitting accross the desk from for the next six months of their lives (and as it was a six month contract turned into 7.5 years).
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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.
My all time classic though was an interview for a contract with a utility company. I could tell that the interview was going badly and the two interviewers really did not seem at all interested in my answers. Towards the end of the interview I got the stock "What do you feel that you will bring to this role". to which my answer was "Awful ties and alchol abuse!".... I got the job!!!!
Turned out that the interviewers had seen a long succession of corporate drones and just wanted to employ someone that they could stand sitting accross the desk from for the next six months of their lives (and as it was a six month contract turned into 7.5 years).
High risk strategy, but if the interview was going badly, guess you had nothing to lose.
I actually think the 'can we work together' element is more important than the experience, and am continually surprised at the number of times I interview someone who looks good on paper and is actually someone you can't work with, and vice versa.
. Neither you nor they want a job that's not suitable. Think of Maria approaching the Von Trapp household for the first time and press the send button. I always worry less once things are sent/posted.
) Hopefully, by the end of the interview you will know more about what is required.
