So as it happens like buses 2 job opportunities have presented themselves.
Job 1: Manufacturing company, accounts assistant to the main management accounting and various admin. Lots to learn especially regarding imports and exports, producing monthly accounts etc etc. Interviewed today they really like me 25 min commute.
Job 2: interview at accountancy practuce through a friend, all being well will be offered a position low level but will obviously be in line with my aat studies. 45 minute commute. Presume similar money at both roles.
I am so confused obviously I am being presumptuous about the second interview. Tia.
That is a quandary. Depends on what you want to achieve. Are you studying AAT with the intention of setting up on your own?
Before going solo I worked in a number of companies rising to the giddy heights of finance office manager for a PLC. Each role I had along the way building on my experience to the point where I decided to go it alone.
Although I never had the opportunity to work within a practice I feel my experience of working for various companies over the years has helped me more. In addition to my own clients, I work alongside a couple of accountants who sub contact me to their own clients to provide on site support. Best of both worlds I suppose.
So really it all depends on what your future plans are..... Job 1 would be my personal choice for the reasons I have given above, but no doubt there will be someone who can provide an equal argument for Job 2.
I feel like I prefer financial accounting more than management but that is based on really limited accounts experience, and could change back and forth throughout my studies.
Will review after the interview tomorrow almost want them to not have a position for me so I dont have a problem.
Thanks for your insight Julie. Do you now work for yourself as an accountant?
-- Edited by Muzzy2kuk on Thursday 2nd of November 2017 09:33:00 PM
My perspective for what it's worth. One of the main aims of my career in accounting has always been to achieve high earnings. By this I mean £50k plus. I have never achieved this and don't know if I ever will. I am 52, degree in accounting, AAT fully qualified, CIMA part qualified and I have always worked in junior management accounting roles.
To achieve £50k plus in management/corporate accounting you would need to complete a chartered level qualification by the time you are 30 to 35 and then make the right career moves over the next 10 to 15 years of your career to work your way up to a role that would pay that sort of money.
Before my next suggestion I have to state that I have never worked in practice at all, however it is a topic of interest to me and my following suggestion is based on what I have come to understand over the last few years of following this topic.
If I could have my time over again I would have chosen employment in an accountancy practice. As a minimum I would have aimed to qualify with AAT and ATT (Association of Taxation Technicians), gained three to five years of experience doing small business accounts and tax and then started my own accounts and tax practice. All enquries I have made to the few accountants in practice I know and on accountancy forums are that achieving a turnover of £50k plus is achievable within three to five years. Obviously, there are people on this forum who are in practice who may be able to give a more realistic, informed view on this. Also, regarding qualifications, you could look to study ICAEW/ACCA if you felt you wanted to make that commitment (and, in respect of ICAEW, if you could get a training contract).
Even if you are not sure that you would want to be self employed, if you work in practice then you have exactly the right experience to have that choice. It is possible to move from employed management accounting to self employed practice but there are experience gaps that would need to be resolved before you could take that step.
Hi David,
Thanks for your detailed response. It seems that my quandry resolved itself. The accountants firm liked me apparently, but want me to go back in January when they will have a position for me. So in the mean time have accepted my position in industry and will see how that goes.
Many thanks.
It felt like a lifetime and was really down about not working. But now I feel like it was a blink of an eye 4 weeks out of work wasnt so bad. Weird how your perspective can shift.
