Not your normal I want to be a bookkeeper thread

Parmstrong83

I don’t know why but mind has been increasingly wondering about doing part time book work on weekends and spare evenings.

I guess it is because I was thinking about learning Sage to add it to my CV, from there I kind of went into the whole mindset of if other people can do it then why can’t I?

I am not talking anything big scale maybe just a couple of clients, Problem being I wouldn’t know where to begin and suspect it is more of a commitment than I can offer.

From the offset I have always seen myself as working in Commerce rather than practice, I therefore have plenty of Ledger expierence but not actual practice. I have a good grasp of the basic concepts of bookkeeping but no practical expierence, without this I am obviously going to struggle.

I can’t commit myself to leaving my role and finding a role in Practice because long term it is not what aspire to do.

I didn’t want this to be another ‘I want to work for myself and set up my own practice how exactly do I do that post’, because this couldn’t be further from the truth. It is a strange position to be in I guess, espically as most of the members of this forum are mostly openly practice based and that’s what they want to do.

I am just wondering what the options would be to get some work expierence? I think I would be more than willing to volunteer free of charge in exchange for the expierence and mentoring but it is difficult as mostly people work weekdays when I am in my full time job.

Anyone have any opinions on this at all, I am just trying to get my head around this and need to affirm to myself that this probably isn’t a realistic thing for me to do due to the circumstances.

Kindest regards

Patrick

DOTTY

I am thinking the same.........

Hi Patrick,

I too find myself in a somewhat similar position, i work in industry doing daily bookkeeping and monthly management accounts, although i enjoy this i find myself wandering what it would be like in practice, ever since an accountant from a practice gave a talk and said you only get a sainsburys bag of recipts and screwed up bits of paper, i have wanted to work in practice, i would love the challenge. My husband has recently gone self empolyed and i do all his accounts, using spreadsheets i made up, although i enjoy this i often wander if they would be done like this in practice..............
I would really like the best of both worlds, my job in industry all week cause i need to pay the bills and evenings and weekends volunteering for practice work so i can see for real if i really would like to set my sights on that. I do feel i haven't yet found my true path.
I was wandering if accounting practices actually gave people like us a go, who just want to gain some experience in practice but can only do it out of office hours.

I hope we both can find our paths

Dotty
xx

Parmstrong83

Thanks for your reply.

It is so fustrating, I really feel like having completed AAT and had over 2 years Ledger expierence that I would have got on by now.

I know many others are struggling to find a job at all, but I am doubting my choice in taking this job in the first place and whether AAT was even worthwhile.

I think it is down to this that I am considering ALL options even bookkeeping?

Monsoon

Have you asked family and friends? Most of us know someone who is a tradesman or runs their own small business who might really appreciate getting their books done properly - especially for free! This is how I started and I know lots of other people began here too.