Need advice on changing my career - salary level

ncacat

I don’t have paid industry or accountancy firm experience but have been volunteering with a firm for a long time during the weekends. They have been very helpful in letting me play around stuff such as book keeping for limited companies, running RTI submissions, assisting with pension auto enrolment, assisting with and registering self assessment clients and preparing profit and loss accounts for some traders and rental property clients, accounts production from trial balances and managing control accounts before a senior colleague finalises them.

Sorry about the wall of text. I had to give you a background of where I am coming from.

I have enough confidence now to enter a paid role and switch over my career from what I have been doing for so many years. (which I never liked, a people oriented sales and marketing role)

I have an opportunity (Accounts Assistant) willing to offer £21000 which is just barely over minimum wages and I have loads of monthly outlay. This is to be expected especially when switching careers.

Anyways, is this level normal in the market? Is this something people would expect me to take on and work from?
I guess, what I am trying to ask is, should I take this opportunity and work on it or wait for a better role?

Would the salary level increase, say in a years time with experience? (Working hard on account production, of course)


Please say yes

dumutroba

This is exactly my experience and even worse because I don't have any experience, but I see little point after spending all that money and time and then go on and take the financial hit, more so considering this is a highly professional job, so I don't see way one should devalue themselves.
I also have outlays, so if I have to choose between supporting my family and having a "prestige" job... Well you know where this is going
As a last note this is a desicion you need to take for yourself considering your personal situation and surrounding.

ncacat

Considering how many companies are willing to take the risk of bringing onboard a candidate with little to no experience, I guess the reality is a hard pill to swallow.

I just wish I had some personal savings to take a hit for couple of years. Then again, I don’t always regret it because I did spend a lot on equipping myself.

I am going to have to go consider all the mechanisms of debt management from credit card balance transfers to personal loan interest lock downs.

This is going to be one last bumpy ride.

dumutroba

Sorry to hear that you need to make such sacrifices to get a job, but when you are determined you can achieve anything and if this is what you want then it will be worthwhile

Cheesypeesy

Where are you based? That sounds like a pretty standard salary for an Accounts Assistant where I'm at (Yorkshire). I would take it so you can get yourself on the ladder, but that's dependent on whether you can afford to.

dumutroba

What I see in my area is 18000 to 22000 with the requirement to have minimum of 3 years experience in accounts and AAT or ACCA qualification

dumutroba

In my opinion is quite silly that you have to get yourself into debt/deprive yourself of income to get yourself supposedly higher income. It defy to whole point is it not?

ncacat

Cheesypeesy said:

Where are you based? That sounds like a pretty standard salary for an Accounts Assistant where I'm at (Yorkshire).

Oh I love Yorkshire. Been there just once. That's besides the point.

This offer is based within M25 in Essex. I suppose the proprietor knew exactly what they were doing when they said the package would be revised in a year based on where and how I fit in within their workflow.

Ah well, seems like they are fitting me in the wrong end of the range. I have until Friday to get back to them.

@dumutroba You are right. I knew this might happen when I wanted to change my career. It might not be that terrible if I could do away with some comforts, reduce my expenses and/or downsize. I could always get them back after couple of years.

PhilHallAAT

You might find the 2019 AAT Salary Survey results of use.

These are based on responses from approximately 10% of our 140,000 members and so provide a good indication as to likely salary levels at different levels.

The survey can be found here: https://www.aat.org.uk/prod/s3fs-public/assets/AAT-salary-survey-2019.pdf

KoopaCooper

£21,000 is barely above minimum wage? Wow... xD

Sorry for that reaction, but I actually started my first accounting ON minimum wage (with just AAT Level 3 under my belt) as an Accounts Assistant - which worked out in my FT role to about £14k. I've since had a 35% pay rise after becoming MAAT, and am now on a slightly more respectable £19k, and my title upgraded to Accounts Executive. (my role has upgraded a little too... but not by much though xD)

PhilHallAAT

Some rather odd comments here. To clarify, in 2019, the national minimum wage for someone aged 21-24 working a 35 hour week is £14,400 per annum, less for those under the age of 21 and lower still for those on an apprenticeship wage.

The 2019 AAT Salary survey shows that an unqualified AAT student can expect to earn £20,000 per annum, an affiliate £23,500 a qualified AAT member will earn £28,000 and an FMAAT £37,500.

milescpareview

I wonder if you have taken up the job!

jadeterry

£21,000 seems very reasonable to me. It might only just cover your bills but sometimes it’s worth taking a step back to then take a step forward. I was working full time and then got a job as an apprentice accountant. I was earning around £10k a year which was a significant drop to my previous earnings. After a year I applied for a job elsewhere and got it however my current employer offered me promotion at the same time and my salary doubled to over £20k. I haven’t yet finished my level 4 and have recently had another payrise to £28,000. I am only 22 and all my friends say they wish they took a dip in salary as it ends up paying off.
In short, £21,000 may not seem enough for you right now but once you’ve got more relevant experience and qualifications under your belt, it will definitely pay off