Cecily C.
About me
| Cecily C. | |
| History | |
| History | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Alcuin | |
| 2020 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Audit & Accounts Assistant | |
| Haines Watts | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Finance and consultancy |
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A day in the life of a Audit & Accounts Assistant in the United Kingdom
I had no idea what I wanted to do throughout my final year, and in a way stumbled into accountancy! It is a way of entering the business and financial field, and also has allowed me to work towards another qualification.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work in practice for Haines Watts, an accounting firm which has several offices across the country.
What do you do?
My main area is audit, but I have also recently started in accounts preparation.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
After finishing my exams, I started to look for positions open and hiring in the 2020 pandemic. After some research, I decided audit sounded more interesting to me than accountancy, so I searched the ICAEW website for roles more specifically in audit. In 2021, after 14 months with my first employer, I looked for and found another role, which would allow me to visit family more easily.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
I had no idea what I wanted to do throughout my final year, and in a way stumbled into accountancy! It is a way of entering the business and financial field, and also has allowed me to work towards another qualification.
Describe your most memorable day at work
My most memorable day at work was when I decided to leave my current employer and look for another company to work for. The office culture was getting toxic and so I chose to leave. I think it is important that you know when it is best to put yourself first.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I wasn't a particularly involved individual in extracurricular's with the university, but spent more time with my friends enjoying York. I did ensure that I volunteered across my time at university, both with the National Trust (as it connected with my degree) and with the charity shop Oxfam.
Most of my transerable skills for my work came from my degree - analysis, preparing for and sitting exams, and writing up reports from visiting clients etc could all be adapted from my history degree.
What would you like to do next with your career?
I am going to complete the ACCA qualification and then possibly look to move to a different role, in business or finance.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Use the careers support team to enhance your CV - it is the first (and sometimes only) thing an employer will use to judge you so it needs to have no spelling/grammar mistakes and represent your achievements as much as possible. Then once you get an interview, RESEARCH the company, and if possible the interviewer, so that you can ask specific questions in the interview. Have them written down so you don't forget them - it is your chance to see if you will fit the company and if you share priorities. It also shows them that you prepare for events and are organised.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Entering accountancy,
Next steps...
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