Feel like quitting my accountancy job.

M

mamababa

Guest
I am currently working 3 days as a trainee accountant. I have two kids , creche fees etc and i just don't feel i'm being paid enough.
I really like my job but the salary does not make it easy to get up out of bed in the mornings. I work 9am-6pm 3days and earn €250 gross (before taxes)
I'm in my 30s and just feel that i'm worth way more than this. I am starting to regret the decision to become an accountant.

My job is fairly demanding and i work hard, get on very well with clients and feel i am very employable. I have a first class honours degree and even won an award. 10 years ago i was earning more. I know my employer thinks a lot of me , but i dont think i can continue on the pay.


Am i being reasonable in my thoughts?
 
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You're going through a thought process that I'm sure many of us are these days.
I earned 4 times more than I do now ten years ago. I imagine a lot of people did!
I learned to adjust to less income gradually. It was a big learning curve, but doable in my case.
What you have to ask yourself is, what is the alternative and is it productive for you? If you enjoy your job, can your employer afford to give you a raise in wage to reflect how much he would like you to stay in your job?
I'm sorry that I am not giving you any answers to your dilemma, but I feel you need to look at your situation and consider all your options for the long term.
I hope you get sorted and find the right answer for you.
 
mamababa, what are your options?
How likely is it that you will get a pay increase in the future and over what time period?
 
Thanks for your replies.
I'm there 2 years and have had a small increase. I'm thinking my options are to get a job as a financial controller for at least double the salary. I'm only staying to get audit experience that you can't really get in industry. But even at that the training is very very slow. Everyone is busy and I'm learning very slowly due to this (ie. not learning anything from my mistakes as mistakes are not flagged unless they're big) . I'm quick to learn but it's hard when you're only given a few minutes of time every week.

I'm just writing it all down to get it off my chest really. I had a recent bereavement and I'm hesitant to make any rash decisions, however life is short and time is precious.
 
If you made a decision in your 30s to become a trainee accountant in practice, then you must have known in advance that the salaries for trainee accountants are low.

If you are doing chartered, then it will be difficult for you to transfer jobs.

If you are doing one of the other bodies, e.g. ACCA, you can move into industry which pays more. Or you could look for a better paying practice. However, I suspect that you are being paid the market rate for a trainee accountant. The fact that you are 15 years older than the usual trainee doesn't really matter that much.

It is comparatively easy for practising accountants to get part-time jobs, so I think you should stick with your career. But maybe look at switching practices.
 
Stick with it, if you can.

Getting the exams moves you onto other pay-grades pretty quickly. Are you in Dublin or outside Dublin?
 
I know how you feel. Aged 30 I took a low paid trainee accountant job a little over a decade ago, on £IR 6k year 1, £IR 8k year 2. There was invaluable work experience there. It was very challenging to survive on the low salary and it seemed never-ending, the lectures and exams, but it was worth it in the end. To go from a lowly tea-making trainee to a FC is not easy, but as you enjoy the work, I think you should persevere. Ask for a small pay rise. Obviously its very busy now with the IT returns so when it dies down in 3 weeks you need a chat in there re your training. Sorry about your recent bereavement.
 
Steiner, your story gives me hope. Well done on sticking it out.
I worked in accounts from age 18 until 25 where I returned to college full time (3yrs)and obtained the 1st class hons degree in finance and accounting.
I joined the practice aged 28 and have to do my FAEs in 2014 hopefully (I took a year out to have a baby).


Brendan, I am chartered but through elevation so I am not tied to practice per se. It's just that I feel I have much more to learn in practice (since I have a lot of previous industry experience).
I very almost applied for the revenue auditor jobs and am half kicking myself I didn't.

I suppose I just might see if I can get another increase or look closely at my options.
 

you are sorted so! I didn't have a business or an accounting degree.
 
I also suggest you to stick with it. I hope you will get better after gaining little experience.
Wish you all the luck.

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