Employment advice

kerryhill100

Hi,


I'm new to this forum so I hope I'm doing it correctly!!!

I could really do with some advice, I was made redundant in Feb 09 from a job in personal finance that I loved. Following this I started doing the AAT diploma to increase my employment chances as I really struggled to find employment to match the salary I was previously earning.

I lost my job again in October 09 and have now found myself working in a medical role??! (not sure how) This is mind numbing work and am desperate to get back into the accounting/finance profession.

I really dont know whether to start applying for these types of roles now or wait until I complete my Diploma?



I have completed the 1st year (units 30 and 31) and have just sat unit 32 (professional ethics)



I really need an objective opinion!!



thank you



xxx

anniem

Hi Kerryhill100

Welcome to our forum - I notice this is your first post - Congrats on finding us; we're quite a nice bunch on the whole, but there are a couple of utter nutters amongst us, you'll soon see!!!!!!

I'm sorry to hear that you've been made redundant twice within a year, that's really bad luck.

At the moment I think you should be glad you've got a job, even if it isn't brilliant. There are so many people looking for jobs at the moment and I think that salaries have dropped because there are so many over-qualified people who are having to settle for less money just to have an income.

It's really positive that you've started studying and will reflect well on you personally.

I think if you see a job you really want then apply for it and just consider it as interview experience, but I know how hard that really is. I just applied for a job that I quite fancied and thought I had a good chance - there were 67 candidates and they called just 6 for interview; I was in the 6, but not called back for second interview - I did also think that they weren't paying as much as I'm on at the moment and there was a lot of travelling - so had decided that it wasn't for me anyway.

Keep going with the studies and use the fact that your job isn't a brain drain to your advantage; you aren't too pooped at the end of the day to put your head in a book and study!!!!!

Anna x

kerryhill100

Thank you for the advice and I really do know how greatful I should be!!

Claire321

Hi Kelly,

Although the job market is tough at the moment (as everyone knows) - there's no harm in applying for relevant positions. Some employers are interested if someone is studying for the AAT qualification whereas some might stipulate that you need to already have the qualification.

The downside with applying for relevant positions at present, obviously there are lots of applicants for every job and competition is tough so you have to not take if personally if you are not called for an interview - you never know you might be lucky.

Kind regards

Claire

A-Vic

anniem wrote: »

Hi Kerryhill100

Welcome to our forum - I notice this is your first post - Congrats on finding us; we're quite a nice bunch on the whole, but there are a couple of utter nutters amongst us, you'll soon see!!!!!!

ok whos the nutters???????

Hi Kerry welcome to forums

kerryhill100

I'm sure your all very pleasant, regardless of your mental state.........

taskey

kerryhill100 wrote: »

I'm sure your all very pleasant, regardless of your mental state.........

we are all very pleasant - welcome to the mad house

Tracy

anniem

kerryhill100 wrote: »

I'm sure your all very pleasant, regardless of your mental state.........

I think, judging by that comment, that you'll fit in nicely!!! :laugh:

kerryhill100

anniem wrote: »

I think, judging by that comment, that you'll fit in nicely!!! :laugh:

thank you, thats very much appreciated!!

blobbyh

Get carried away with this lot and before you know it you'll have reached 2,000 posts way before I do.

A-Vic

blobbyh wrote: »

Get carried away with this lot and before you know it you'll have reached 2,000 posts way before I do.

Am saying nowt.

CJC

A-Vic wrote: »

Am saying nowt.

That makes a change :001_tongue:

aatcoach

Opportunities my AAT Qualifaction has given me

I am very passionate about being involved in the accountancy profession. Sometimes, I wonder what my maths teacher would say if she found out I have ended up working with figures, as during my school days I hated anything to so with figures. The intention was for me to be a secretary as I was good in shorthand and typing, Come to think of it, my father was a very good accountant and later on became tax inspector!

When I left school, I went to college and discovered “accounts”. I really liked the subject, the teacher and her approach. I managed to do my maths exams, and passed my accounting exams also. I did my AAT and then became a FMAAT.

Working for HMRC
I started my accounting career working for HMRC firstly in the PAYE section and then the Self employment section. I really enjoyed checking out tax computations, checking tax returns, and mostly dealing with customers at the enquiry desk. I remember one irate lady coming up to me at the counter and saying to me “you are lucky to work for the tax office at least you don’t have to pay taxes”! Well?

Working in practice
I then left the tax office after 5 years to train with an accounting firm. It was a small firm, but it gave me the opportunity and exposed me to different aspects of bookkeeping, accounting, taxation and auditing. I really loved it especially when a client would come in with accounting records in a mess in a carrier bag. I always felt a sense of fulfilment and achievement when I will sort out the records and prepare a beautiful set of accounts all bounded up and signed!

Working in Charity Accounts
After working for the accountants I decided to work in charity accounts. I was fortunate to work as a community accountant. I really enjoyed this work as not only was I doing accounts which I am passionate about, I was also dealing with different charities that were making a difference to society. I was also involved in running training courses

Working as an accounting software trainer
I then went on to work for SAGE Plc as an executive trainer. This now enabled me to use my accounting background to train clients in different sage accounting, and payroll software. I was also at this point teaching bookkeeping and accounts at the local Adult education college in the evenings.

Teaching money management skills to children and adults
I also run workshops and classes teaching children from the age of 7 how to manage money. This helps them with learning maths, and the value of money. It was great joy the other day, when I overheard my seven year old son explaining to his older cousin “when you have any money given to you, you must Give some to charity, save some, invest some, spend some and keep some for a rainy day”

I hope this has helped those looking at various career pathways.

A-Vic

CJC wrote: »

That makes a change :001_tongue:

hey you less of it lol

kerryhill100

thank you for taking the time to reply in that much detail, really really appreciate it.

I spent 5 years working for a sub prime finance company which I really loved juggling figures etc coulld never of imagined ever leaving there. Following being made redundant I managed to get a job doing credit control (calling business's asking for money) no cash allocation or anything. then moved onto a support desk for an accounts package. Following being made unemployed from the world of finance AGAIN I now am working in a medical role (really not sure how I got this job!!)
Do you think I have enough experience to start applying for accountancy based roles?

blobbyh

kerryhill100 wrote: »

Do you think I have enough experience to start applying for accountancy based roles?

Absolutely and as your AAT knowledge increases so will your qualification worth. Many employers arguably want more of a "have done" than a "can do" person in the current climate.

Nice post aatcoach...

aatcoach

Hi

you can apply for roles, and as you did credit control perhaps this is where you should start from and build on this.

Look around the job market and see what type of skills are in demand, and if you have not got those skills, look at ways of getiing training or doing some voluntary work to gain expereince.

Now the company that you are working for at the moment, you could ask them about the possiblities of you switching roles so you can be more involved in the bookkeeping/accounting areas.

Do let me know how you get on!

kerryhill100

its a relatively small company run by father and son. there is no way I can get into the accounts side of the business. (even though they have asked my advice on a few things!!!)

What are the best ways of looking at getting volutary work?

Oh and I have always been passionate about and figures ever since school!!