To be disappointed that my best isn’t good enough...

[Donatello68]

I have successfully run my own little business for 10 years but, due to a recent divorce decided to apply for a job for financial security. There was a shortlist of 3 candidates. I got the job but, suspect that I was only offered the job after someone else turned it down.

I started the job a month ago and have been working 50hr weeks (I am contracted to do 39) as the previous person who had the job, left months ago, and there is a backlog of work. I get the impression that they are still disappointed that the person they originally offered the job to didn’t accept as they keep mentioning this ‘other candidate who they also liked’!!! I have worked flat out to get everything up together without any handover... not sure whether to stay...

@Donattello - I knew it would be.

Try and find the pointless crap that they used to do that serves no purpose.

To give you an example, I took over from a 'lifer' who retired, - she printed audit trails every Monday. Took ages. I binned that off, and no-one cared. (she was lovely, but had let the admin bloat out)

(I am CIMA qualified - more than happy to continue to discuss on this thread, or feel free to PM)

Like you I had 15 years experience, and felt like I knew nothing to begin with. (and wondered how my previous employers had thought I was so ace).

Give it a few months, you will come out on top.

4 years in, my predecessor is not mentioned too often...

Cross post with OP. Yes if it’s finance ‘they’ are unlikely to have a clue, and will need to be told what is involved and how long it will take. I took over a finance role from someone who had been there for years with their own unique, probably illegal, way of doing things and I was still unearthing messes after three years! Try to identify allies who are also relatively new and professional to back you up. I think it’s worth sticking it out for a while longer to see if things improve. Stop working such long hours though - priorities and create your own boundaries. Good luck!

TopCat - I am CIMA as well. The guy who did the job before was AAT and is now studying for ACCA and 10 years younger than me! Sounds like you had the job that I have just taken on!! There is hope then...

Surely you'd just tell them to shut up about her and crack on with you?

Get confirmation on what 'outputs' are essential - ie month end packs etc.

Break things down. They used to do bank recs monthly, which were absolute pigs - I do them daily.

You have the qualifications and experience - you don't need to be constrained by what was done before.

What software are you using (for accounts)?

Try to split the work into clearing the backlog and doing current stuff.
The most dispiriting thing is, for example, being continuously months behind.

Is your year end December? When is the audit etc booked in for.
Try to 'look ahead' rather than worrying about the past.

(this all assumes that you have, somewhere, a decent employer. If they turn out to be just shit, then they are just shit..)

They have an obscure industry specific financial software that I have not used before. It is a bit of a nightmare. I am used to Sage/Xero etc.

The year end has been done but, there are absolutely no working papers which seems odd!! I am just trying to catch up with the month end reporting - again no working papers/instructions!!

Good advice from Topcat. It’s highly likely that rather than being an unprecedented amazing finance professional the previous guy just talked a good talk, and perhaps prioritised things that were more ‘visible’. Don’t forget you have more experience than him by virtue of your longer career.

I suspect your challenges are a) creating a manageable monthly/weekly Finance tasks list using outdated manual processes - this is where you’re likely to be able to slowly trim out unnecessary tasks, as topcat was suggesting, b) dealing with the backlog - as pp suggested make sure you are clear in your head what is work you have inherited and what is current work, and refer to the tasks in that way so your colleagues/managers are also aware and c) creating good management reporting using the manual systems which is likely very time consuming. I guess the previous guy had some reports he would run which made management think he was great, but I bet you would find a more efficient, useful and accurate way of preparing information if you had the time to think about it. I suggest you try to break the work down in to categories, like this and divide your time in a way that means each of the categories is moving forward.

As the previous person had asked for an assistant, the 'first choice' candidate turned it down, I really think you are in a pretty strong position.

Talk to your immediate superior, point these facts out and ask if they really think they can do better than you! (only do this if you believe me when I say they cannot)

Ask what you could do to make things better, and also tell them what they could do. You are in the strongest negotiating position you will ever be in right now, before you have got used to the money and come to rely on it, use that. They are in the weakest negotiating position now, with the history, use that!

Thanks very much for the advice Marmighty and Topcat. It has definitely given me direction after being so overwhelmed and demoralised. Coming out of a recent divorce probably hasn’t helped!!

Thanks MammaTJ !!

I will speak to them tomorrow. I can’t go on working the hours - I am knackered!

I absolutely knew this was finance. 😂😂

I still hear how wonderful my predecessor was. He left 2 years ago.

Weird isn’t it!! What is it about finance jobs?

I think you should give it at least four months before you make a decision - ideally you would be in the role for at least six months before moving for your CV's sake. It takes a while to settle in, learn the ropes and make the right contacts and connections to be able to do your job more easily - give it a bit more time.

But in the meantime you should definitely schedule a catch up with your line manager and your ultimate boss. Explain the problems you are having and set realistic goals with them, making sure you get them to agree to give you the support you need to meet those goals.

Best of luck. Don't doubt your abilities! It is definitely them, not you, and you are on a steep learning curve atm. It took me 3-4 months to properly settle into my current job but now I love it!

I agree with others - it sounds like they are underappreciating you and you are facilitating it by working extra hours and putting up with their unrealistic expectations!

I would see if you can organise a meeting with your manager to 'touch base' on how you're doing - use this as an opportunity to ask whether they have any ideas how you can find out more about the processes your predecessor put in place and check their priorities as far as your work is concerned. That way you can use this chat to highlight how hard it is for you to come in and pick up where your predecessor left off if they don't even know what he was doing and make it clear that your current hours are not sustainable so some tasks will have to go on the back burner until you are able to get to them.

Mine was also finance 😂