advise please on working in a practice

lily

Hi
I am struggling with knowing what to do, I have been working in accounts for years and just finished my AAT. Since doing the course it has left me confused and bored with my job. I am happy with my pay but get no job satisfaction at all and wondered if anyone has been on my position and moved over to practice. If they have are they enjoying it???? Do you get bored in practice??? If I change over to practice I will have to take a pay cut as they do not seem to pay very well down here. Any advice very welcome.

mark130273

hey think your self lucky . there are guys on this forum looking for aco****s work for well over two year...took me 18 months and your moaning about being in the accounts !!!

dont moan......think yourself lucky .

lily

I'm not moaning!!!!

I am just asking for advise. I have been working in accounts for over 12 years and would like to know if its more interesting working in practice and I do think myself lucky!!! But working in the same office for so long I have no challenges in work.

mark130273

i can see your point that doing the same thing day in day out can be repetative and boring ...........but that life!!!

i did 14 years in my old job .without any promotion or any varity in my work.....

so im so glad that im in accounts now......only 3 months in and its keeping me going !

jilbo

Hi Lily,

I understand where you're coming from. I also understand what's Mark's saying which is why I generally keep quiet about my job etc but I admire you for having the courage to ask for advice.

I work for a wholesale bookseller, doing accounts and virtually running the company and receive a very good wage for the privelage. However I am also self employed offering sole trader accounts and tax returns, bookkeeping and payroll services and am itching to do this full time as I too feel I haven't got job satisfaction in my paid employment.

As my husband is also self employed I feel at this present time it would be fool hardy to leave my paid position and go self employed on a full time basis. I will therefore bide my time and grab the opportunity when it arises, hopefully I may be able to work part time later and build up my practice gradually.

If you're unhappy and can afford to move then go for it, after all your job will then be up for grabs, giving someone else an opportunity.

Sonny_L

I have worked in practice for 3 1/2 years now and am AAT qualified. Money was initially appalling, but I am now a manager and have landed an ACA contract so the opportunities are definitely there in practice if you get yourself a position at a good one.

I think this is because you will be given a greater variety of tasks (often completing a set of accounts and tax computations from scratch yourself) compared with your average industry job so you are better able to show yourself off, whereas in industry, say, a purchase ledger clerk really can't prove much? Though I have no experience in industry so can't be sure.

I also remember hearing from a careers advisor that Practice candidates are perceived as technically stronger and viewed favourably in applications for more senior roles (even in industry?!). So good exit opportunities!

Also you can generally earn more in practice long term when you reach partner status.

I'd recommend it personally but it isn't for everyone, so you'd be taking a risk as it sounds as though you're in something of a comfort zone at the moment.

Gem7321

I second Sonny

I also work in practice but have no experience in industry, and although my pay is a little low because I'm still training, I love my job. I see a huge variety of jobs and I get a lot of client interaction. Yeah, you get some crap jobs as well, but you almost never do the same thing twice.

If you're not happy you should look around, it can't hurt to go for a few interviews and see how you feel then.

Best of luck :001_smile:

lily

Thanks everyone your comments have been very helpfull, I agree with you I am in a comfort zone and its very easy to stay in it. I have been asked to attend an interview in a practice and will go for it.
Dont get me wrong I love my job when I am doing the month end and the payroll, but thats only a small part of my job and I would love to do it daily for different companies , it would be great.
Again thank you

mark130273

but i do warn you . it can get very interesting and challenging when your trying to do a set of accounts from incomplete records.....i have found that out when i started .and its nothing like they teach oyu in collegeor in your aat course.... but that does give oyu a god basis to find any mistakes that cold be wrong when your completing your aco****s..

but good luck with what ever you decide to do...........and is your job up for grabs.....sounds like the pay could be better than mine ?