Accountant career changers. Advice please

[hulla]

I am an accountant but I took redundancy earlier this year. I had a brief stint working for a start up but the directors fell out and the drama was too much so I left.

I'm not experienced enough to work alone as an accountant. Although I get a few enquiries, I find the responsibility too stressful (my background is technical accounts for IT contracts - a bit niche).

I don't have a lot of childcare, DD2 is 3 and home 3 days a week. I don't want to return to full time work. I prefer the flexibility of working from home.

So, I took a job working from home taking calls for big companies. £8.50/hr so quite a pay drop and although I actually love the job, we're feeling the financial change and I'm working more than I'd have liked. DH would like me to just get back to the office but I'm recovering from a nephrectomy and the thought of returning to the office makes me want to cry.

My accountancy body has just invoiced for my subs. It's £300. Practice cert is another £300. Its a lot when I'm not earning much.

So, I suppose what I want to ask is - should I keep paying my subs? I don't know if I'll ever go back.

And, are there any careers I'm missing where I could earn more but not actually return to a 9-5 stressy office job?

Look at school jobs - I too got fed up of the corporate world and ended up taking a role as a school bursar. It was a massive pay cut especially as I only work part time and then that is pro-rated for term time only.

But I really enjoy it; the environment is great , I have a good head teacher and it's busy but rarely stressful. And of course there is no worry about finding childcare in the holidays.

Are you an ICAEW member? They have two reduced fee subscriptions rates - half rate and low rate. They are APPALLINGLY hidden in the small print.

Also you can access free career counselling from www.caba.org.uk/ - and also free 'general' counselling which can help with stress etc.

If you are a member of another accountancy body then call their membership department and ask about discounts for those on lower salaries.

Thank you both! I hadn't thought of bursar posts, I will have a look at that.

I called my accounts body this morning and they said there low wage/not working rate is £70! So I'm going to pay that for the next year while I work out what to do.

Thanks so much both of you, that's a big help.

offline there is a job vacancy at a local school! It sounds perfect but I can't do a couple of things they're asking for on the job description - cash flows is the main one. I last did one in an exam about 10 years ago.

I'm not sure what to do! The job is otherwise perfect but I don't want to be out of my depth or mess up!

Swot up! There will be software to help, I am sure and also some support from the LA.

You're right! I had a panic. However, the post was out of date and the vacancy has already been filled.

Back to the drawing board!

Don't panic. You will be more than qualified and if it's a Local Authority state school you will have some pretty prescriptive procedures to follow for nearly every single task. They provide a lot of help because very few bursars/business managers have a finance background. Not sure the same goes for independent schools.

If another job comes up, feel free to PM me if you need any advice/encouragement

Thanks so much offline! I certainly will

Keep searching the times ed website as lots of bursar jobs come up.

A school cash flow is not difficult, you'll be fine as you've done th before and there will be nothing technically difficult to worry about (no fair value, accounting standard adjustments etc). Most schools pay for additional bursar services from their local authority too who will support you.
I'd love a school job but can't take the pay cut!
Good luck!!

Don't worry about not having specific experience, you've got the qualification, you'll be fine.

Apply and read up.

Good luck