Career change from Optometry to Accountancy

Career change from Optometry to Accountancy

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 I am seriously considering a career change from Optometry to Accountancy. I graduated with a first class honours degree in Optometry a couple of years ago as a mature student (I am now 30) and am not really liking the industry as it is very sales orientated rather than patient orientated. I considered accountancy before I started my degree and am thinking it might be a good move now. I am particularly interested in the Auditing side, so I think practice would be better than the Industry side, with a view to getting my ACA / ICAEW qualification.

The questions I have are would I be accepted onto a graduate scheme with one of the larger firms? I have a 1st class degree (in a non related subject) and also AAA at a level, so academically I hope it should be fine, but my main query is my age? I am 30 and will be nearly 31 when August / September placements start, would this go against me?

Also, is it a better idea to apply for graduate placements with the larger firms or try and contact smaller firms directly? I am just a little worried about smaller firms not having a training structure in place, does anyone know if this is an issue?

Thanks for taking the time to read, any help is much appreciated.

Replies (12)

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By Steve McQueen
15th Jan 2013 21:51

what do you think accountancy is about?

Fundamentally, we sell stuff to people who don't actually want to buy it!

Personally I believe all the professions are rubbish, its what you make of it that counts.

Auditing is a dying business and you are going to have to join a large firm if thats what you want to do.

You are also going to take a large pay cut!

Getting a training contract is no different to any sales process - contact everyone possible - use the internet and accountancy age (sorry AWeb!) - and see who bites.

Steve

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Out of my mind
By runningmate
15th Jan 2013 22:53

Age

I would expect (but I don't know) that there would be employers who would be interested in taking you on because (in contrast to most candidates) you would have work and life experience outside of university and that might give you a broader perspective and wider horizons which would be useful context for accountancy / audit work.

The downside is that, from day one, you might be working for 'bosses' younger than yourself.  You (and they) would need to be able to handle that.  You would also find that your 'peer' group were much younger (and perhaps with a less mature outlook),

A key skill for accountants, in my view, is the ability to communicate - including the ability to communicate technical matters to a non-technical audience (clients and their staff).

Many clients regard their auditors and accountants as a necessary evil and ideally you need to be able to get through that and make a better impression.

But accountancy firms do want their staff to be cost-effective so you will be expected to focus on what is needed and get it done as swiftly as possible.

If that appeals to you then go for it!

RM

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By George Attazder
15th Jan 2013 23:08

As Steve says...

... if you can't sell, you'll flounder in accountancy.  Being clever isn't enough anymore.

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Replying to tom123:
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By doconline
16th Jan 2013 07:19

Could you expand a little?

George Attazder wrote:

... if you can't sell, you'll flounder in accountancy.  Being clever isn't enough anymore.

Hi,

Could you expand on this at all? Maybe explain how selling is involved? I realise you will be talking to people about your services, particularly at smaller firms, and sometimes selling your services to them. I would imagine this happens less at the larger firms as they would have specific departments for this? My issue with my current job is having sales targets in a health related industry. For example, if someone's prescription hasn't changed you shouldn't be pressured into trying to sell them glasses. If that is what a store / company wants, then the sales people should be doing that. That is the sort of thing I would like to get away from.

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Replying to Jane Mellor:
By George Attazder
16th Jan 2013 09:37

Expansion

doconline wrote:

George Attazder wrote:

... if you can't sell, you'll flounder in accountancy.  Being clever isn't enough anymore.

Hi,

Could you expand on this at all? Maybe explain how selling is involved? I realise you will be talking to people about your services, particularly at smaller firms, and sometimes selling your services to them. I would imagine this happens less at the larger firms as they would have specific departments for this? My issue with my current job is having sales targets in a health related industry. For example, if someone's prescription hasn't changed you shouldn't be pressured into trying to sell them glasses. If that is what a store / company wants, then the sales people should be doing that. That is the sort of thing I would like to get away from.

What is your sales target?  A Senior Manager in a large firm will typically be expected to bill £25,000+ per month.

Yes there's have a marketing department, and maybe there will be a sales "hand holder" when pitching for new work, but most of that sales target will come from selling existing clients services they never knew they needed and through cross-selling (selling the services of other specialists in the firm and hoping that they'll do the same for you), which marketing and the "hand holder" won't touch.

It may sound like we're all moaning, but the only reason you should do anything is because you enjoy it.  As others as have said, if you think you'll enjoy accountancy, then go for it, but there will be sacrifices and it's not a sales-free zone, unless you want to be a grunt for eternity.

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By Steve Holloway
16th Jan 2013 08:22

Ha ha .. welcome to real life my friend ...

No one actually 'needs' anything  ... we generally buy stuff because someone has sold it to us! In a big firm you will have targets; to start with they will be built around efficiency and as you progress they will become more client sale oriented. You will 'own' an account and it will be your job to maximise the billing from that account. Large firms are tough competetive environments and not somewhere that you can go and hide.

Do you really want to start taking exams again at 31? They are tough enough at 20 when you have few distractions is life.

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By blok
16th Jan 2013 08:51

.

strange

I was just saying to my wife last week that I wish I had chosen a career in optometry.

optometry

1. work 9-5

2. make great money (I would guess that on average, more than most accountants, save for partners in some firms)

3. the human eye wont change that much from year to year.  you are studying and practicing in a stable and controlled environmet.

4. an industry supported by the government to a degree

accounts/tax (me anyhow)

1. work 8-7

2. pay ok, but I noticed that a 30 year old optomtrist who works for a client of ours is paid £65k per annum.  and she leaves at 5 every night!

3. a constant battle to keep up to date with changing laws and regulations

4. an industry that the govenment pays little attention to.

 

If I were you I would become very good at what you are doing.  maybe a change of job is all that is needed.

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Replying to DMGbus:
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By doconline
16th Jan 2013 09:32

.

blok wrote:

strange

I was just saying to my wife last week that I wish I had chosen a career in optometry.

optometry

1. work 9-5

2. make great money (I would guess that on average, more than most accountants, save for partners in some firms)

3. the human eye wont change that much from year to year.  you are studying and practicing in a stable and controlled environmet.

4. an industry supported by the government to a degree

accounts/tax (me anyhow)

1. work 8-7

2. pay ok, but I noticed that a 30 year old optomtrist who works for a client of ours is paid £65k per annum.  and she leaves at 5 every night!

3. a constant battle to keep up to date with changing laws and regulations

4. an industry that the govenment pays little attention to.

 

If I were you I would become very good at what you are doing.  maybe a change of job is all that is needed.

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond. You are right in some of the things you say, the work is 9 - 5.30, however you do have to work every Saturday, as this is the busiest day of the week, so this isn't ideal. Pay starts around £30k once qualified, particularly for high street stores, I am not sure about smaller companies. It does go up, but not by that much, average salaries have come down a lot in the last 10 years. So the optom on £65K per year is doing well, I'm pleased for her. I am not sure what you mean about the industry being supported by the government? Do you mean NHS eye tests for older people / people with certain medical conditions?

Is your 8-7 day everyday? and is this typical for the industry? I realise there are busy times of year, financial year end etc, but surely an 8-7 work day everyday would promote massive burn out in the industry? There is a similar issue with keeping up to date with laws / regulations with Optometry, also learning about new drugs / techniques etc and ensuring you have enough continuing education and training points to stay registered with the GOC.

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By pedant
19th Jan 2013 22:40

Optometry?

Have you gone into this with your eyes open?

Stick with the personal services.

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By JANINE X1
19th Jan 2013 23:00

I changed careers when i was 21 I didn't have the qualifications you had but still found it very hard to get a job.

i started out doing my AAT on an apprenticeship scheme  in practice and am now studying my ACCA.

The pay wont be as good as what you expect it to be especially just starting out.

I really enjoyed audits like you said you would like to do the only thing is at the minute we have found alot of them clients are unfortunately going out of business. however they are certain industries like solictors who have to be audited every year but they do have alot more rules and regulations then a normal audit.

if accountancy is something you wish to pursue why dont you start with a part time book - keeping course or look at part time college courses?

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By musemma
12th Feb 2013 12:54

Career change from Optometry to Accountancy

As a matter of fact, there are many  (yes.. I mean many) people who share the same situation as yours. At 30, I am making a career change into accountancy. Pronto. I decided to take the ACCA exams. It was/is a lot easier for me as I had just completed a Master programme and still had a 'fresh' brain. Besides, I was into financial services but felt I needed a change.

I don't intend gunning for the big firms as they are more interested in fresh graduates (young) or very experienced hands (very few). 

I have considered my interest and I know what I want from accountancy.

Though I am yet to reap the fruits of my decision, I seem to have an inner pleasure in that I am pursuing what I actually like to do.

So if accountancy is your new found passion, go for it.

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By User deleted
05th Dec 2021 21:04

Hey, did you make the career change in the end? I am curious as I am in a similar position as your self.

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