What's your age and experience?

What's your age and experience?

Didn't find your answer?

Assuming there is nothing wrong with asking this question (attention moderators) I just wondered how old the accountants are on this website and how much experience you all have in practice.

I'll start:

Age: 39

Years in practice: 22

Years running own practice: 3

Replies (73)

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David Winch
By David Winch
07th Oct 2010 11:12

Early twenties

I'm in my early twenties and have been qualified for over 30 years.  Oops - what a giveaway, I lied about my age.

Actually in my particular field looking a bit older is no bad thing.  I think it helps to 'sell' me to judge and jury.

David

www.AccountingEvidence.com

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By julieanneecc
07th Oct 2010 12:07

shouldn't really ask a lady her age.....!!

What lady - I'm an accountant!

Age : 43

Years in practice : 25

Years running own practice : 6

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By Guest1
07th Oct 2010 12:14

Are we being "groomed" here?

Age; 54

Years in practice; 37

Years in own practice; 28

Sex; Oh, yes please!

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By cymraeg_draig
07th Oct 2010 12:23

.

 

Age) - Physically - the wrong side of 60

Age) - Mentally - still think I'm 18 until my body reminds me I'm not.

Years in practice 40 +

Years in own practice 38

Sex) Still chase pretty women, just can't remember why any more.

 

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By blok
07th Oct 2010 12:27

.

just a kid!

AGE 31 (and a half)...

General practice 19-24.

Financial director 24-28.

Back in practice 28- now.  mainly tax planning.

acca and ciot member.

 

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By adam.arca
07th Oct 2010 12:28

.

Age: 45

Yrs in practice: 24

Yrs by myself: 16

Sex: did you ask that question?

 

PS: As a complete non sequitur, are you also BigDaveCUFC?

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By bigdave1971
07th Oct 2010 12:35

No to both

No I didn't actually ask about your Sex ... its obviously on some peoples minds!!

Also no I am not BigDaveCUFC.

Thanks for the replies so far, there is quite a range of ages and a huge amount of experience, keep them coming.

 

 

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By sally1964
07th Oct 2010 12:36

But how old do you feel

Age 46(feel downtrodden and about 95)

In practise 28 years

On own 19 years

But feel 95 when having spent the day dealing with HM mess ups!

 

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By sally1964
07th Oct 2010 12:36

But how old do you feel

Age 46(feel downtrodden and about 95)

In practise 28 years

On own 19 years

But feel 95 when having spent the day dealing with HM mess ups!

 

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By julie.severn
07th Oct 2010 13:03

Nice to see I'm not the only ankle biter in the accountingweb co

Quite interesting to see this actually, the history behind the peculiar names.

Age 30

Years in practice 12

Own practice 3 (accidentally took over an existing practice, still worrying and still penniless)

FCCA, MAAT

Appreciate the comment by davidwinch - my downfall is the opposite, look about 12 and worry that when seeing potential new clients they immediately write me off as lacking experience.  Given my usual luck I will continue to look little, then wake up one morning looking 90.  Certainly feel like it every January.

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Giraffe
By Luke
07th Oct 2010 14:10

Young (ish) but feel old compared to the last couple!

Age:      37

7.5 years in practice first, then 6 years in industry then nearly 4 years as a sole practitioner with a bit of overlap between the last two.

So, total practice experience of 11.5 years with 4 of them being on my own.

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By stephenkendrew
07th Oct 2010 14:38

Is there a prize?

Age:  49

In practice:  28 years

On own:  16 years

 

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By bigdave1971
07th Oct 2010 14:46

No prize

Unfortunately there is no prize but those who are too bashful to give their details could be named and shamed!!

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By GarethHughesFCCA
07th Oct 2010 15:16

.

Age : 30

Experience : 12 years (inc. 4 years corporate insolvency)

Set up 6 years ago (part time) and did the full jump 3 years ago.

Sex : Double entry / internal control

 

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By ireallyshouldknowthisbut
07th Oct 2010 15:33

.

37

8 years in practice on my own (by accident to start with following long term sick leave)

5 years in industry

3 years training in audit and relevant degree.

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By two sheds
07th Oct 2010 15:50

will I win the prize?

Blimey I must be ready for the knackers yard, 52 been at it since age 17 and on my own on and off for past twenty years

 

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By cymraeg_draig
07th Oct 2010 16:11

DON'T CHEEK YOUR ELDERS

Looking at all the above answers I think my standard response in future to any poster not agreeing with me will be ..............

 

DON'T CHEEK YOUR ELDERS :)

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By ShirleyM
07th Oct 2010 16:22

errrrrm

Age: ancient (but feel young! ..... mostly)

Experience: a few years spent programming & then designing financial systems on IBM/ICL mainframes & some minis (that gives my age away!) approx 20 years in accounting, and started my own practice in 2003.

I'm with CD .... hip, hip, hooray for the 'oldies'   ;)

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By godwinsj.hotmail.com
07th Oct 2010 16:23

Middle Aged!!!

 Age:44

 27 Years in Practice

 11 Years own practice Fulltime

  9 Years in France !

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Should Be Working ... not playing with the car
By should_be_working
07th Oct 2010 17:34

Somewhere in the middle it seems

Experience: 21 (yep, straight out of school)

Own practice: 9 (with the typical overlap while still elsewhere)

Age: 39 (unless you believe that you're as young as the woman you feel ... which is one of the advantages of marrying a younger woman!)

On the age/appearance question ... not many greys yet, but my father (in a different line of work) found a better response from customers once he grew a beard thus hiding his baby-faced looks. (It's a proper beard, not one of those landing-strip goatees.)

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By Sarah Offord
07th Oct 2010 22:35

Fearing someone will have a go...

Age: 29

In Practice: 4yrs

In Practice on my own: erm 4 yrs

 

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By Steve Holloway
08th Oct 2010 08:47

Average I suspect!

44

15 years in practice (10 on my own)

10 years in the middle as corporate counter of beans (including 5 as head of HR ... now that was interesting!)

 

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By MarionMorrison
08th Oct 2010 09:12

I'm only here for a while

Unreasonably chucked out of uni - hell they wanted me to go to lectures, whatever next, study?

Took a fleeting temporary job working for the Inland Revenue whilst waiting to resit first year exams and I'm still waiting to do the resits 34 yrs later.

So - 53, with 34 yrs (counting both sides of the fence) in practice, 26 of them with my name on the door.

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By Fidodido
08th Oct 2010 11:55

part of the younger generation

I am 31

in practice 14/15 years 

On my own for 2.5 years.

Have aged 20 years since going on my own!!!

 

 

 

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By ChrisDL
13th Oct 2010 10:44

Not having a good day...

Age: 41

Years in practice: 22

Years running own practice: None (I work for a top 10 firm but I'm having a testing day and things could change and supplementary question to come on that thought)

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By Helen Crowley
13th Oct 2010 10:56

EX HMRC and still recovering!!

I'm 39

21 years experience;-

Inland Revenue before it became HMRC for 3 years

18 years in practice for only two different firms

Waiting to win Premium Bonds or Lottery, some other large unknown Inheritance - 39 years!

 

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By lucy.danon
13th Oct 2010 11:01

Am I the only non-accountant on here?!

I'm 24.

Have been working for accountants since I was 17 so I suppose I've been in a practice enviroment for almost 9 years. Eeeek!

Would be interested to know if there are any more Marketing/Practice Managers in the same position?

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By cyrynpen
13th Oct 2010 11:03

26 going on 60....

Age: 26

Years in practice: 8 (AAT & ICAEW qualified plus CIOT trainee)

Years running own practice: 0 - still employed not grown up enough to run my own yet!!!

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By vinylnobbynobbs
13th Oct 2010 11:07

Not an accountant

Joined HM Inspector of taxes for 6 months in 1980 and worked there for 10 years

Worked in practice (taxation) for 20 years

Doesnt bear thinking about!

 

I am 51

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By rogerparry
13th Oct 2010 11:09

Age is just a number....

Age: 40

Years in practice: 9, then was 'persuaded' into private equity fund administration for five years

Years running own administration business (in Guernsey): 4 (it's like practice..... only different)

 

 

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By SecretariuS
13th Oct 2010 11:24

Age and experience

 Age 65

 Years in industry: Company Accountant/Financial Controller 40+   last 8 years part-time.

 Part-time own practice  grown over 20 years

Now retired still keep my hand in with favoured clients only to supplement pension which was seriously reduced in 1997 and again in 2009/10 by government and banker greed!  Will give up when HMRC finally drives my brain crazy - which may not be too far away at present rate of "innovations".

 

 

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By Selaen
13th Oct 2010 11:27

Fresh out of the box..

Age: 1/4 of a century

In practice: 6 months (an accounts-baby still...)

 

 

I'm still young and easily influenced by the growling accountant in the corner of my office! 0.o

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By jpcc1
13th Oct 2010 11:32

What's so special about practice anyway?

Age  52

Years in practice     NIL    (FCMA)

34 years experience (30 years in industry, commerce and consulting, one year out starting a catering business, then 3 years in a regulatory role (and this is the most I have enjoyed accounts, ever!)

Career Highlight  - during that year out one of my sandwiches was nominated for the British Sandwich Association's "Samdwich of the Year" award ! ! ! 

 

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By eddies368
13th Oct 2010 11:39

Oldies

All this is making me feel really old and knackered.

Joined Revenue at 16 in 1965 - it was actually a pleasant place to work in those days, although I still jumped ship for practice in 1973.

May have 50 years in by retirement!!

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By cookiegravy
13th Oct 2010 11:41

How old?

Age 48

Years in practice 29 (although one of those was spent in commerce)

Years running my own practice - 19 (my God, is it really that long? Must have a lay down soon....)

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By bendybod
13th Oct 2010 11:49

Experience

I'm 35, started in accounting 10 years ago, got out of practice 18 months after qualifying 5 years ago and have worked in the voluntary sector ever since.

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By shoshana
13th Oct 2010 11:54

Timeless

Aged: 43 but still lumbering around a 5-a-side pitch with the turning circle of a large oil tanker.

Experience: Started training at 19, 4 year training contract - left the next day. Been delivering training since I turned 23.

Running my own training and consultancy company (jointly with my wife) for the past 2 and a half years. Love finally being in control (er at work that is if you are reading this, darling).

Malcolm

 

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By jonsa
13th Oct 2010 11:57

Many years

CD, you are not the only one who is older and with many years in practice.  I am not quite as old as you, so I would never cheek my elders!

I am 60

In practice 42 years

Own practice 30 years.

Sex - no comment.

Strange - sometimes think of commenting and then get distracted, so never do - till now.

Jonathan

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By vmahyde
13th Oct 2010 12:22

Belly Dancer/salsa queen

 Age: 54

Experience: 38 years, including Midland Bank 

Years with own business: 4 years

Aged too much these past 4 years on my own!  HMRC are a nightmare to deal with.  My only sanity is dancing and keeping the computer off at weekends!

 

 

 

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By taxhound
13th Oct 2010 12:40

still on work experience after 23 years

Age 41

started work experience aged 18 to see if I liked it and never left, so 23 years work experience.

10 years on my own (with the dog).

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By Ermintrude
13th Oct 2010 13:14

What an interesting post!

Me - age 45

In accountancy (including public practice) - 21 years

Own practice - 9 years

Sex - my udders may be a giveaway................

Premises - home office - and I wonder if homeworkers are greater contributors to this site, as the virtual networking replaces having colleagues for me, certainly. 

And the expertise & calibre of the posters exceeds that of limited pools of colleagues available when I worked in public offices, too.

 

 

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Image is of a pin up style woman in a red dress with some of her skirt caught in the filing cabinet. She looks surprised.
By Monsoon
13th Oct 2010 13:22

Another dancer here

Age: 30

Sex: No thanks, I'm British (Just kidding. About the sex, not the Britishness)

Gender: Female

Years in accounts: 8

In my own practice: 6 (of which under a mentor, 2)

Qualifications: AAT, pq ATT

Preferred dancing type: pole (for fun not money!)

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Della Hudson FCA
By Della Hudson
13th Oct 2010 13:56

Where do you find the energy for dancing?

Age: 42 next month

Experience: 22 years in practice and industry

Own practice: 21 months and 13 days

Premises: Home office

Social life: Accounting web

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By ianw33
13th Oct 2010 14:44

Up With The Elders

Age: 50

Practice: 33 Years

On Own: 25 Years

 

Who's heading the elder council?

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By Pottedbeef
13th Oct 2010 15:02

Good side of 35

Age - 32

Years in practice - 4

Have spent the last year in NHS (foolishly)

Own practice - 1 month p/t. Very exciting

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By weaversmiths
13th Oct 2010 15:36

Well, I do call myself TheAncientOne so I suppose I asked for th

Age:  69

Sex:  I am really the age of the man I feel - husband of 26 years - 18 years my junior.(;O.

Experience : Inland Revenue 1979 to 1996

Practice       :  14 years - d/w sole traders and partnerships.

                       How long will I continue?  Needs must when the devil drives!  Retirement? Dull and boring.

Hobbies       :  Heavy Metal/Rock music.  I help a local Rock Radio Station put on a broadcast for a month each year to raise money for charity. 

TheAncientOne

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By pipper01
13th Oct 2010 15:42

Other side of 35!

Age 41

Years in industry (ACMA and FMAAT) 21

In practice 1 year then

Own practice 1 year

Sex - nice idea but with 2 kids under 5 and having kicked out the hubby, I'd rather have a cup of tea.

Still waiting for the invite on the C_D trip though so we can tell if everyone's telling porkies!

Pip

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By ckai
13th Oct 2010 15:58

Very fresh but quick!

Age 27

In practice for just over 4 yrs

On my own since April

Loving it, and not letting go no matter what!

CAT, DipFA (hopefully FTA and MAAT soon too) 

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d
By puzzel
13th Oct 2010 16:03

Nearly over the hill

50 early next year

in practise 15 years

running a practice 10 years

I'm worried, my wife tells me it drops off once you get to 50.

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By jon.woodger
13th Oct 2010 16:08

I win??

Age: 22

Experience: 2.5 years

AAT Qualified and starting ICAEW now. Don't want to think how long I might be stuck in accountancy before I will hit retirement age though!

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