Career Change

Career Change

Didn't find your answer?

Having got fed up of getting stuck in the middle between clients & HMRC and bored of the ever increasing regulation I'm seriously considering a move away from accountancy.

I'm ACCA qualified but not really sure what other avenues are open to me.

Any suggestions??

Have you made the leap away and if so was it a good / bad move?

Replies (4)

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By User deleted
23rd Jun 2009 13:39

Have you considered
Lion taming, possibly by way of banking - lion taming being quite abig leap ....etc etc

Be fair that had to be one of the answers :)

I'll get my coat!

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David Winch
By David Winch
23rd Jun 2009 14:23

It's all about you
I think the answer depends very much on you - what are your strengths? what do you enjoy? what do you have an interest in? do you want to work solo or in a team? what (apart from money) do you want from your work? could you relocate to another country? a major city? a rural village?

As someone with accountancy skills, knowledge and (presumably) aptitude it seems sense to have a job that involves figures or money - but it need not be one that is primarily concerned with that.

I moved into forensic accountancy dealing with crime and proceeds of crime. It means I no longer prepare accounts or tax returns or get involved in audit and (importantly for me) I no longer feel let down by my clients when I find they have not told me the whole truth (because - most of my clients being alleged or convicted criminals - it goes without saying that I do not rely on their honesty, and they expect me to be sceptical).

Also I have increasingly ceased to be a 'number-smith' and have become more of a 'word-smith'. Allied with that I have increasingly accrued a media presence (recently on GMTV and BBC Radio 4, for example, as well as online and in print). I enjoy this stuff - but it would not be everyone's cup of tea.

So, from me, plenty of questions but no answers!

Good luck with whatever you decide.

David Winch

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By jimeth
24th Jun 2009 15:23

Think positive
You need to think positively about what you do want to do - not just about what you want to avoid. What parts of your current work do you enjoy?

I am ICAEW qualified. Having been seconded by a former employer onto an IT project I eventually moved permanently to the IT department. Now I work for a software solutions supplier. We employ a number of qualified accountants as software implementation consultants. Personally, I am now more involved in software specification, documentation and pre-sales demonstrations - quite varied.

There are still clients to keep satisfied and I do have dealings with HMRC - but in a different way than I would in an accounting role.

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By User deleted
24th Jun 2009 16:48

Maths teacher or recruitment consultant
I know a few accountants who have re-trained to be Maths teachers (a fast track option is available) and recruitment consultants in the accountancy sector. Both new roles have worked out well for them.

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