Problem solved – moving from a pure accountancy role

I’m considering moving on from a pure accountancy role – I don’t enjoy the work as much as I’d like to. What should I do instead?

Consider all the aspects of your career that are important to you – such as salary, work/life balance, job satisfaction, and a sense of contribution.

Ask yourself what made you choose accountancy in the first place. What do you wish you had known before you started? Were your expectations realistic? It helps to write all this down – visually examining your hopes and fears can stimulate the imagination and help you focus on the fundamentals.

Look ahead now – in your ideal job (whatever that is), how would you hope to feel differently when you woke up in the morning, and when you finished work at night? What would make you feel exhilarated about going to work? What challenges would stretch and excite you?

Think about different aspects of working life that impact on your enjoyment – such as meeting people, working with intricate figures, imparting knowledge to others, conducting research, closing deals, succeeding in negotiations, and using technology. What are your key strengths? What skills would you like to acquire and, crucially, what jobs could offer that opportunity?

Many people who embark on accountancy careers go on to succeed in a variety of completely different roles. Popular choices include recruitment, training, tutoring, software development, or relationship management. And in a knowledge economy, organisations are crying out for people with finance expertise to go into those roles and use their accounting knowledge for the good. You might even identify opportunities with your current employer.

Research the possibilities – you could always join an online forum (you can do this anonymously) to ask other ex-accountants for their opinion on different options. So it doesn’t have to be doom and gloom. If you are certain you want to do something different, a world of opportunity awaits.

 

"Look ahead now – in your ideal job (whatever that is), how would you hope to feel differently when you woke up in the morning, and when you finished work at night?"