The pandemic and the resulting lockdowns of the past couple of years has impacted how and where we work, but it has also led to many people reassessing their career paths and looking at a change or direction.
Whether you’re considering a change in career at any stage in your life, or just looking at career options in general, we have a look at three big reasons why people choose to return and become accountants.
1. Better career progression
A career in accountancy can provide a wealth of opportunities for career progression. If you’re a recent starter in accountancy, you may start as an Accounts Assistant or Clerk, but while studying for an entry-level qualification such as an AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) qualification, you may be able to quickly climb the ladder and pick up more skills along the way
Once AAT qualified, you can then continue on to study a Chartered qualification such as CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) or ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).
A CIMA qualification will bring Management Accounting opportunities working in corporate finance, and before you know it, you could be influencing product strategy at a global corporation!
Alternatively, you may decide to study ACCA and end up working for the likes of Deloitte, KPMG or another ‘Big 4’ accountancy firm. You might even find yourself flying around the world conducting audits for your clients.
2. Better earning potential
Over a third of career changers were encouraged by the prospect of earning a higher salary. A recent survey found that qualified accountants, on average, earn 67 per cent more than unqualified colleagues.
A typical starting salary is around £19,000, and the average accountancy salary is over £31,000, according to Reed, and there’s plenty of scope to increase from there, with some accountants earning hundreds of thousands per year at the high end of the career ladder.
However, keep in mind that changing careers means you need to keep realistic expectations, and you will unlikely be earning big bucks in your first year on the job. As with any career, it takes time and hard work to earn promotions and salary increases.
However, having the right qualifications will certainly give you an edge over your colleagues and competition.
3. Enjoy working with numbers
Accountants do typically enjoy working with numbers, but the job is far more than simply punching numbers into a calculator or designing hugely complex spreadsheets.
Accountants tend to enjoy interpreting the numbers and understanding what they represent for their clients and businesses, from analysing the profitability of certain products, or consulting on pricing decisions for your business, accountants provide a very valuable contribution to a company beyond just reporting.
If you’ve been motivated to change careers and looking for accountancy recruitment in Sussex, come and talk to us today!