Considering an application for a job for which I am overqualified

[Mumski45]

I'm looking for advice/opinions please.

I am a chartered accountant and have spent the last 9 years being self employed doing excel based financial modelling work for a small number of clients. This has been part time only as I've prioritised my two DS as they go through primary school. I am currently only working with one client although they do give me enough ongoing work. Prior to this I qualified with and worked for a top six (as it was then) accountancy firm in both audit and corporate finance.

DS1 has just finished his first term at secondary school and DS2 will hopefully join him at the same school in Sept 19.

Whilst I have enjoyed the self employed work I feel that I would like to go back to being employed and have been considering what to do when they boys are both in secondary school and my working days are longer whilst still being able to be there as they get home at 4:30pm and prioritise their needs.

I couldn't go back to the type of work I did before they were born as the hours were long and unpredictable as DH has this type of a job and I think it would be too stressful for us both to work in this way.

Anyway to get to the point, an accounts assistant job has come up at DS1's new secondary school. It is 2 days a week term time only, which in terms of commitment for me would be ideal both in terms of hours and stress levels (ie work/life balance). However whilst I have plenty of relevant experience and could tick all the requirements of the job description I am significantly overqualified for this position.

I would appreciate advice from anyone who has done this before. Ie were you happy in the job and did it work for you or did you get bored.

I would also like advice on how you think my application might be viewed. I have no intention of hiding my qualifications or experience and would like to be honest about my reasons for wanting the job, ie work/life balance, getting back to employment, social side of working with other people and being part of a team, wanting experience in a new role but which is still relevant to my qualifications.

Sorry I forgot to add thanks in advance to anyone who responds after reading what turned out to be a longer post than I expected.

Hmmm,

Are there no firms taking consultancy accountants?
(Like consultancy solicitors).

V similar history here. Two years ago I teamed up with a consultancy solicitors firm where all the senior staff work from home. It's great and I've worked my way back to full time. I'm here when the kids get home etc.

Do you think you'd enjoy it? It would probably be more data entry and using hardly any of your qualifications?

Do you have no practice firms locally?

Similar here, I also now work in a school and it's a huge lot of fun working with teenagers. Most admin/finance staff have to muck in with all sorts of things at my school, so no two days are the same. I'm constantly amazed at the variety of things I get involved in. I am very overqualified but so are lots of school staff. I have never felt happier at work. Give it a try! It could well lead to something better like Bursar or Business Manager.

I am in a completely different field to you, but I have recently looked to returning to work. I wanted something with less responsibility etc. It's been near on impossible !!! Jobs I could do with my eyes shut I am not even getting an interview.

So much so I am looking to now return full time in my original field which means long hours and responsibility.

Thanks everyone for your views. I am still in the early stages of considering this. Yes I could go back to a consultant accountants role which is really what I do self employed now and I don't think I want that level of responsibility.

Yes it would be data entry but I think that the experience of working in a busy office and as Clockwork Orangina says "mucking in" with all sorts of things would be more fun and could lead to a business manager type role in the future.