Transferrable skills (out)

Bookworm55

Hi,

We often get people on here looking for a career change into accounting, and how the AAT can help. I'm looking for the other direction. I've been made redundant and I'm taking the opportunity to stop and consider if I'm really in the right line of work at all.

Have you or someone you know used your AAT-related skills and experience to start a new career outside of accounting? I'm only 30, so I've got a good 30-40 years of work ahead of me. I'm trying to think of areas where the transferrable skills we've picked up here would be appreciated.

Nps

I'm currently working in an organisation where a huge proportion of us are looking for career changes due to recent changes (hence my career change into accountancy). I really didn't see how my current career related to accountancy until I thought about it and realised that most soft skills can be adapted to pretty much any industry.

The skills which I will be highlighting when I start job hunting will be the same skills which are just as transferable OUT as they are IN to accountancy.

Ability to work to strict deadlines
Ability to work under pressure
Teamwork
Able to work alone
Time management
Analytical mind
Proven dedication to developing yourself and obtaining relevant qualifications.
Able to converse with all types of people
Able to explain complex matters to those with less knowledge of the subject
Professional
Courteous
Honest
Too many more to write down!

Of course these are all just the typical buzzwords and can be related to any industry and profession, and are worthless if you can't back them up with actual examples, but I'm sure you will have no problems.

I am seeing my colleagues move from a very specialised industry which on the face of it only really qualifies you for similar work, gain jobs in areas that are so far removed you wonder how they managed it in this current economic climate. I've soon realised though that my current role is one of the best possible jobs to really hone those basic soft skills which actually every employer is looking for.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is, choose a career, and then adapt your current skills to fit the criteria of that career, rather than trying to use your skills to decide on a career.

Good for you, considering a career change, I'm 37 and wish I'd done it a little earlier. Life is too short to just plod along in a job you are not 100% happy in.

Jo Clark

How about teaching AAT?