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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To change careers from a perfectly good, well paid job

27 replies

Smiling89 · 10/04/2019 07:06

Currently work as a health care professional and potentially in the future could earn enough to work 3 days a week and live comfortably. However, I’m really starting to resent my job. It’s not the worst job in the world but I’m definitely introverted and it involves being in front of a member of the public non stop all day. And I mean all day - I often miss my lunch and there is literally no reprieve from people unless I go to the toilet. Not even hiding round the corner for 2 mins to get away for a sec. I’ve on occasion started to get social anxiety the night before work.

I’m thinking of retraining in accountancy. Lower level jobs would mean I have to work longer than I would in this job. Does anyone have any experience of accountancy? I’m not opposed to all human interaction (though I’m ok with that too) but will I get a significant amount of time to work in peace and quiet? I’ve done a little bit of simple bookkeeping before and loved those days as it was just me, numbers and my coffee. Is that really the case?

OP posts:
Loopytiles · 10/04/2019 10:27

What about closer research institutions or public sector type organisations, or indeed companies, wanting people with STEM qualifications/experience, but not in your exact, current field?

Feelinggoodtuesday · 10/04/2019 10:53

Hey OP
Will probably name change soon so can say I’m an accountant. Chartered with one of the major bodies and can say it really depends what you want to get out of it and how ambitious you are.
At the lower levels, book keeping, purchase and sales ledger , what’s deemed as transactional side of finance isn’t high pressured. Your tasks are clearly defined and easy enough to do with a fair degree of autonomy. You will have to interact with client via telephone if you work in sales ledger side, or suppliers for purchase ledger.

Moving up to say assistant accountant level will start to involve senior stakeholders within the company, the main users of the reports you generate, and HMRC, similar . Depending on your boss and company size, you may get exposure to audit preparation and bankers.

If you are technical and go down the management accounting / company accountant route, then expect pressure - these days you’d be expected to do more than churn out numbers, you need to add value in your analyses.

Get along to management and there’s pressure to be strategic and partner with other departmental heads to drive performance - it’s constant and difficult to switch off. You’ll see clients if relevant, suppliers, and a diverse array of stakeholders. I can promise you from my experience, it’s never a 9-5. Month end is busy, as is quarter end, year end and any other important cycle in between.

It is a rewarding career if you enjoy disciplined work and there are times when it’s just you, coffee and spreadsheets which is my idea of heaven.

Good luck

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