When I was at school I was trying to figure out what I liked and what I wanted to do. Accountancy appealed to me so I made my decision then that I would stick with it and pursue it as a career. I graduated from Heriott Watt University with an MA Hons in Accounting and Finance and now work within an accountancy practice firm in Edinburgh.
Tenon offer a range of accountancy services but my specific role in the firm is within the professional practice department where the majority of our clients are doctors and lawyers. I'm responsible for reviewing sets of accounts, tax returns and superannuation certificates. To do this I often need to meet with clients to discuss their accounts and any other issues they may have. I also train other team members and sometimes carry out Law Society Audits.
I chose to study ACCA because it's an international qualification that is widely recognised so if I happen to go somewhere else and work it will still be relevant. It's also highly regarded in the profession and this appeals to me.
Even though Tenon is a large firm I like that we can give such a personal service to our clients and really get to know them. There are other benefits too. I'm responsible for my own work load and can decide what to do when and there's a huge variety in the work that I do. Also we're a quite social office so there's always something going on outside of work.
Qualifying as an accountant is hard work. It can be difficult working full-time and studying but you should focus on the end result because the rewards are worth it.
