I don't think that it matters too much where you put the post as the regulars just go straight to recent posts which checks for new posts in all streams.
Whilst this seems a good idea I can see your cunundrum on this one.
Taking you on as an employee could cause a familiararity threat to independance for the accountant.
Is your husband a key client of the practice? If so the accountant may be forced to say no to your request in order to adhere to the IFAC code of practice for practicing accountants (mainly sections 280 and 290 which are concerned with Objectivity and independance).
If your husband is just one of many similar very minor clients for the practice then I can't see there being any threat to independace but the accountant will need to ensure that you are not given any of your husbands work to do for his practice. (don't take that the wrong way, it's a matter of materialarity. A local bus company might be a major client of a small practice or insignificant to the likes of PWC, KPMG or E&Y. Its all a matter of perspectives)
However, if your husbands business is insignificant to the practice it very much affects your position of being able to ask for training so swings and roundabouts there.
The next thing to consider is whether the accountant has the work to give to you at the moment or whether they are already trying to find work for existing staff.
All in all I think that if you approach the accountant on your own merrits but from the position of knowing the accountant through your husband.
If the accountant is at all uncomfortable about the situation just smile and back away from it. If they say that they have nothing now but would like to talk to you again when they have then you have a 50/50 chance between wherther they are fobbing you off or telling the truth.
Whatever the outcome from your perspective you have nothing to lose by asking and it just might turn into something positive for you. (fingers crossed).
Go for it Ghislane.
__________________
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.
Thank you for your reply, It's usually me that deals with my husbands accountant- I feel thats why i feel slightly uncomfortable but than i feel "if you don't ask you don't get"
I don't think my husband is a key client to the practice. what do you class a key client? I am after unpaid work, only a few hours a week. I am more after shadowing a bookkeeper/accountant and gaining work experience through hands on and visual and not just through text books.
I'm not sure my gut feeling says not to approach him
. A local bus company might be a major client of a small practice or insignificant to the likes of PWC, KPMG or E&Y. Its all a matter of perspectives)
It's hard to tell, our accountant is not as big as the ones you mentioned but we live in Kent so not a large location, but the accountant firm is quite large..
Your husbads business is material if the loss of it could materially affect the financial statements of the accountancy practice.
What is material will vary from one practice to the next but as a general rule of thumb if your husbands business contributes less than 10% of the fee income of the practice then it would probably be considered not material to the financial statements (even though the loss of 10% of income might hurt the practice considerably).
If your husbands business contributes more than 15% of the fee income of the firm then it would be considered very material but in that instance the firm would need to have processed and procedures in place to gaurd their independance and objectivity when associated with a high yield client.(I think that was where Arthur Andersen fell down with Enron).
(For listed and public interest client companies these figures are andything less than 5% is generally considered immaterial and anything greater than 10% of fee income would be consodered material).
Hope that all makes sense. All the figures are base on what would be considered material under the code of ethics rather than what the actual practice might consider to be material which may be far lower (who even wants to lose just 1% of income!).
Went off subject I know but I hope you enjoyed the discussion.
All in all just ask about a position with the practice and fingers crossed you'll get that elusive experience under your belt.
kind regards,
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.
