Today is International Accountants Day and at Blue Spire, we are celebrating our staff and the important job they do to help our clients so they can focus on growing their own businesses.
Here, we talk to Accountant, Kirsty Causer about how she got into the field of accountancy.
What made you choose a career in accountancy?
I left college feeling unsure about what I wanted to do. I had a couple of office jobs before trying data analysis which I did enjoy, however I found the position quite capped. Many days were the same and there was no opportunity for progression. I knew that I liked working with numbers and enjoyed accounting at A-level, so when I was 22 I decided to self-study AAT and have gone on from there.
Accountancy allows such scope with the types of jobs you can go into. I personally like the variation of working within an accountancy practice as rarely are two days the same and we get to work on accounts for various different industries as well as have conversations with all different types of people.
What do you think are qualities of a good accountant?
I think it’s really important to be personable as naturally, people don’t always love accountants because we are usually the ones relaying the tax bill! But, being able to build relationships with clients and explain the finances to them in a way that isn’t overwhelming or full of accountancy jargon, is hugely beneficial to our clients. Our job is to make the financial side of their business run so smoothly that they don’t even think about it.
Having good organisational skills as well as a high level of attention to detail are also key skills in accountancy so you can ensure that you haven’t missed anything when completing accounts.
Lastly, with tax rules and regulations constantly changing, then you need to have a keenness to always be learning and keeping your knowledge up to date.
What would you say to anyone who says that all accountants are boring?
I think it’s fair to say it’s 2021 and the days of believing an old stereotype about accountants are outdated.
Our profession will never be comparable to the excitement of an F1 driver, but we are people who see patterns in numbers and enjoy analysis. I’m personally a big F1 fan and whenever there is a crash or they take off a front wing, my brain instantly thinks “oh I’d love to see the invoice for the repairs on that” or “I’d love to know the alcohol bill of their big events”.
In accountancy, I get to see a window into many different industries. I enjoy learning about the clients that we prepare accounts for. This is not only lovely because many of them are local and I feel more in keeping with the community, but I also develop my own knowledge of how different businesses operate.
| Need help with your accounts? Please do not hesitate to contact us. |
