Qualified accountant, well paid and my job is destroying me, pleas help

[Lollysuns]

I can't take it anymore. I want to do something with my life that's meaningful. I'm only qualified in accountancy and have no money to re train.

I can't face more of this. Is there a way out?

Google for careers advice near you. There's still free ones available but most are paying. Or life coaching? There's loads out there but it's tough changing career so get some support

If it's damaging your health speak to your gp asap

Good luck

Thanks for your reply.

I feel like I can't cope anymore. I don't even care if I'm living. Relationship ended in June and still very raw and feel alone

Lollysuns, your job is well paid and yet you have no money to retrain.

Why is that?

Why is accountancy so bad?

You are helping people remove the financial stress out of their business, saving them money and time and contributing massively.

What do you dream of doing?.

Can you go self employed and start your own business? I did that when I worked in general practice and my boss merged with a bigger company and it went from small and friendly to "corporate like". I hated the treadmill. I now do a lot of bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, and some accounts/tax.

I have regular clients, but no two weeks are the same, have weekly/fortnightly/monthly/quarterly/annually clients. I am my own boss and if I want to take a day off I can (rarely do lol). As long as I don't take on to much work I am happy.

But that aside, it certainly sounds like you need a break. Do you have any holiday you can take? Do you have friends/family around you that you can turn to?

Charities sometimes need people with financial nouce, particularly in more far-flung places. Anyone can build a wall or paint a classroom (within reason!) but very few people can keep the books straight.

I really feel for you.

Can you, first of all, think about working in a different environment...using your skills but not necessarily as an accountant. Perhaps, if you are working in the corporate world, change and work in the voluntary sector for a charity or something...somewhere with a bit of heart.

I say this because I left my profession for a year because I thought I hated it. However, doing something completely different felt wrong...I just needed a totally different environment rather than a different profession. You have done well to qualify...think about all the transferable skills you have and use those to sell yourself. And, in your next job, if you still want to do something entirely different, think about how you can save to retrain. Look into student loans and, depending on where you live at the moment, think about relocating somewhere cheaper. Think carefully about what you really want to do though and make sure your decisions are not made as a knee-jerk response to your relationship break-up as this can distort things massively.

You do have options....you really do.

Good luck!

I have no money to retrain because I have a house and live more or less to my means. I would need thousands to re train....

Thanks for all the posts. I don't really know what my dream is. That's pathetic isn't it.

You have a useful skill which can be used for good, who do you work for at the moment, would working for small businesses, thus helping the local economy, public sector or third sector be more satisfying?

Sorry you are feeling down OP. Do you think it's because January is fast approaching you are feeling this way?

Maybe a smaller place would be better.

I just feel really sad. There's nothing worth living for and I can't face going back to work.

Try something new and different to your day job as a volunteer first? That would give something to look forward to and a change without being too drastic.

I knew someone who was an accountant for a third world children's charity she spent a lot of her time abroad and found her work rewarding. Could u consider this route?

Stay positive and think of just one thing that's worth living for I'm sure a lot of people would rather you were around xx

If you are an ICAEW member then you can contact www.caba.org.uk for free careers advice and counseling.

If you are in practice consider a role outside practice in a finance department.

If you are in a large firm move to a smaller firm for a less stressful experience.

Good luck.

I know how you feel OP as I was exactly the same - qualified in my profession, but hated it. Felt my work wasn't meaningful and I wasn't making any difference in the world. I thought about retraining, but wouldn't have been able to afford it. I now work for a medium-sized not-for-profit and although in the same line of work as before, the culture and working environment is far more to my liking and I'm much more content.

Just to clarify the counselling is a free telephone counselling service and is not just about careers advice.

I have the most wonderful self employed accountant. She's counselled me when I have been in a flap about my books.
As PPs have said is that an option or is it accountancy in general that you hate?

I know someone who was in accountancy and couldn't bear their job, but also couldn't change path, so they moved into working as a project accountancy and working in eg universities, and it improved their feelings towards their work no end compared to being in the business sector. Maybe worth considering?

I remember going through a phase where I felt 'trapped' in my career in my early 30s. I loved my job but it was all consuming and very stressful.

I didn't have any commitments other that my mortgage/home, no DH or DC and I seriously thought about VSO

www.vsointernational.org/about/careers

I am not sure I would suggest it if you aren't feeling very strong though.

Sometimes this time of year highlights everything that isn't perfect because we are all used to seeing pictures of people having the perfect life and the perfect Christmas when in reality it isn't like that.

, I second the counselling service, I know someone who used something very similar through another Institute.

Hi OP, I'm a chartered accountant of many years and have been where you sound as if you are. I was big four trained and then went into merchant banking - soul destroying. I found that working for a charity, a hotel chain and the local police was enabling me to use the same skills but to feel that I was contributing more than simply making fat cats fatter. I have also used CABA - a PP linked them - and they were brilliant with advice. I've also always had breaks between jobs, where I've worked as a volunteer for Oxfam and Age UK (where I am serving lunch on Christmas Day, in fact). I really appreciate the fact that I can earn a decent amount which gives me some freedom in general terms, if that makes sense, and I carve out time that makes me feel more useful.

I'm not sure changing your job is the immediate answer here.
You say you're still raw over a relationship break up.
No point in adding the stress of a job change if it's not the root cause of your despair.
Firstly - if you feel yourself sinking low, call the Samaritans.

Would you think about counselling? It really doesn't sound like you simply don't like your job. Feeling like you can't cope and not wanting to live any more isn't a normal reaction just to not liking your job - those feelings are usually driven by everything else feeling wrong. Like, you can cope feeling like your job is meaningless if you're happy with your boyfriend - or you can cope with a break up if you're happy at work.

If you need a temporary break from work, then speak to your doctor about how you're feeling.

There will be options - even if only doing the same job in a company that better fits your values.
But I really think this isn't just about work. Good luck

It sounds like carrying on in your work in accountancy feels overwhelming at present, and I can see you don't think retraining is feasible at present. I wonder what you'd feel like using your accounting/financial/relayed skills for a cause that is meaningful to you. Is that something to explore?

Everyone has been so kind, thank you. I will look into all the suggestions.

I think people are right in that it's not just my job. I feel... totally alone. My relationship ended very much out of the blue, it happened when I really was least expecting anything like that... I thought we were blissfully happy. I feel sick when I think about what happened one day.

I'm so alone and facing work each day is a huge effort.