Cannot decide which company

[Hope4newlife]

Hi, I am in a serious dilemma.

I have my first job in two different companies (how lucky I am-I am so proud of myself in this sense) but I cannot decide which one.

Background: 1. I am a single mum with a young boy (year 2) with no family or help whatsoever(I have half of the holidays)

1. I am studying AAT and will continue studying further after.

A is a very large public company, 37.5h a week and working home but 10 months contract with permanent opportunity, 6months probation, study fully funded after the probation, their own software, large team(more than 15 people). They also give me 2days off for the exams and a day off for the second exam, after that I have to use my holiday. 1h early finish is allowed for nighttime college. Busy environment but less pressure for deadlines, more or less customer service and not direct ledger experience but still in finance, overtime required, I guess I am the oldest one in the team.

B is a local Charity(approx 20people in total), permanent with 3 months probation, 37h a week, have to commute(10minutes), 28days holiday, a day off for exams, I may be able to work slightly fewer hours, use accounting software(Sage 100), only 2 people in finance doing all, direct ledger experience, busy and pressure for deadlines and reports, overtime required. Most employees are older than me.

My concern

1. With B - I have to find a holiday club(might be better than letting my child being alone with PS4 at home while I work in the same house.

1. Contract or permanent?

1. Direct ledger experience is better than experience in a big company? In case of changing the job within a year time.

Do I have something that I have missed in consideration?

A lot of friends and tutors said they would go for permanent(full stop). I like both of them and believe both have their qualities and benefits.

Bear in mind that this is my first job in the mid-40s so I am thinking that this could change my whole career and life. We say"stepping off on the right foot is a key to success"

does anyone have a similar experience to share with me? What would you guys do?

A. I don't know anything about accounting but would always choose a big company over a charity. Even although it's not a permanent job, the opportunities will be better in the long run.

I would go for A

Whatever role you take or where you end up, if planning to go on to ACCA / CIMA or similar, make sure that your experience in role will count towards your log book.

Just because it's a big company it doesn't automatically mean the experience is relevant and will count, even in a Finance dept,

I'd choose A

I’d choose A. After next year Sage software will no longer be supported so it will be interesting to see how a small charity will deal with that. It just seems like A would have better long term prospects.

Although sage 100 is going there will lilely be a transfer to another sage product. Sage knowledge is very transferable.

Difficult choice op. A will likely give you more long term opportunities; B a great set of transferable skills and a broader organisation overview but you will probably need to move on in 2-3 years. Are you a person who likes the big picture, in which case I'd lean towards B, or detail, in which case maybe A.

Small charities are often run on a shoestring which can give you opportunities to get involved in more stuff but also be stressful and constantly asking you to do things "above your paygrade".

Which one pays best? After childcare costs? They both sound good. B trumps A by being permanent and Sage experience. WFH with A will be better for doing overtime.

I'm a practice accountant but it seems that to get on in non practice roles you need to move regularly or join an organisation that let's you move internally. A sounds like it could be better for this.

A sounds like it could become permanent. Why are they paying for exam support if it's only a temporary role?

Both are more or less similar pay but if A hires me after the probation, A will pay a couple of thousands more for study support ( they specifically indicated that the job is suitable for someone who starts a career in finance and is studying AAT as it's still in a finance team and I am positive that I would have a chance to move to a different team that I can practice accounting within the company when I start study ACCA or CIMA, etc ONLY they hire me. A’s software isn’t directly transferable like Sage but who knows.

B has a lot more holidays which I like. I will learn and do all about accounting which you guys agreed it’s transferable, may be easier to get a different job within a year time than A? (not sure) but I think a lot of companies want someone with accounting experience with Sage. People in B tend to work until their retirement. That means job satisfaction is higher, which may be fewer hours work overall.

I am not bothered about money at the moment, especially while I am a beginner and have a lot to learn not only about accounting but also language, culture and people in a fast phase environment, I could struggle.

I really want to experience big company but then again, I am not young and have a little child to look after on my own at near the end of the divorce stage. Plus study on top of that is quite a lot, so somewhat want to have some security as well. I believe that there must be a reason A has 10 months contract. If I shall be outstanding in all aspects among a lot of native team members to pass that probation, I guess.

Short experience with a big company and move onto Accounting experience (start again) hopefully within that company or somewhere else?

Or experience in accounting and I have a choice to move to a different company?