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gavd4

Hi all
I am looking for some help or your opinions.
Since being made redundant nearly 2 years ago I have been a stay at home dad looking after two very young kids.
In the evening I have been studying for the ACCA CAT accounting technicians qualification, which I am nearly finished.
I am thinking of switching and doing the ACA qualification.
My questions are:
1.) Do you think at nearly 40 years young would I get taken on for training in a practice.
2.) Am I to old to start again at 40.
I have no previous qualifications.
Your thoughts would be grateful.

regards

toobeyshaw

Hi,

First of all, I think people can change careers at any point in their lives and that age is becoming increasingly irrelevant in that respect. If you do decide to go down the route of accountancy, you need to get the idea that you are too old out of your head and just go for it!!

It sounds to me like something like the ACA Elevation Programme or ACCA would be more suitable for you in terms of the more flexible structure. I don’t know much about ACCA but I am doing the Elevation programme, I work in industry in a small company. I didn’t have any finance or business qualifications before I started – I just finished the 2nd year exams last week, now whether I got them is another thing! The best thing I find about the EP is that you don’t have to do a training contract with a practice, you can work in industry if you want and you can get your necessary 3.5 year work experience over a number of jobs, instead of being tied to one contract. You can also get some prior work experience recognised if it is considered relevant. The worst thing about it is that it does involve a high level of commitment and it can be difficult to balance everything between life, study and work. But I think if you make the decision to go down the professional accountancy exam route, that is always going to be the case anyway. I think there are modular options available under EP too which may help in this respect. As an FYI, there are people in my class ranging in ages from 20’s, 30’s, 40’s +

As I said I don’t know much about the ACCA exams but I believe they have a very flexible structure too so also worth checking out.

Feel free to PM if you have any queries on what I said above

censuspro

You still have another 27 years before retirement so plenty of time to change career. You may find it difficult getting into a Big 4 practice because they tend to take graduates straight from college and have fairly rigid recruitment policies. Be that as it may, I wouldn't see any difficulty in getting into a practice in general. You have much more life and working experience than the candidates you would be competing with. Bear in mind that it would be entry level roles so the salary would not be great and you may end up reporting to someone who is younger than you.

kilburn

Hi gav, i am pretty much in the same boat as you although i am 31 and did IATI. From my experience the lack of a degree is a big problem. It is an uphill battle to get a job unless you know someone and there seems to be a snob attitude towards the lack of a degree, but just plug away at it like i am, keep applying.

ted2767

Hi Gav,

I just recently completed an undergrad in accounting and secured a big 4 contract and I'm 37.
I had quite a few interviews and it (my age) was mentioned to me in some of the interviews and in the case of PwC it seemed to be a big issue to the partner interviewing me although I just think we didn't hit it off anyway!
Long story short if you want it go for it work hard and get good grades in your exams and you'll get something.
Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

kilburn

ted2767 wrote: »

Hi Gav,

I just recently completed an undergrad in accounting and secured a big 4 contract and I'm 37.
I had quite a few interviews and it (my age) was mentioned to me in some of the interviews and in the case of PwC it seemed to be a big issue to the partner interviewing me although I just think we didn't hit it off anyway!
Long story short if you want it go for it work hard and get good grades in your exams and you'll get something.
Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

I think the point here is that you have a degree he doesnt thats the difference

gavd4

thanks for your reply
Gav

eviltimeban

You might get more money if you train in Industry, that might suit your lifestyle, rather than in practice.

mr_edge_to_you

eviltimeban wrote: »

You might get more money if you train in Industry, that might suit your lifestyle, rather than in practice.

Definitely. You won't loads of study leave but your salary will be higher. They will also pay your fees. I think your age could be a useful selling point - life experience and all that. It's not easy to make those decisions for radical change and I think that will also stand to you.

I hope it all works out for you!

rebel.ranter

ted2767 wrote: »

....I had quite a few interviews and it (my age) was mentioned to me in some of the interviews and in the case of PwC it seemed to be a big issue to the partner interviewing me although I just think we didn't hit it off anyway!....

Jeez that was very unprofessional & also illegal as it is discrimination on the part of PwC. Dud they also ask you your religion & sexual orientation?
As for the OP, I think you should & can go for it if you really want it. I remember years ago one of my friend's dad had quite an established engineering career in the ESB, in fact he had started to climb the management tree, a few steps up. Now he is a well established barrister.

rebel.ranter

ted2767 wrote: »

....I had quite a few interviews and it (my age) was mentioned to me in some of the interviews and in the case of PwC it seemed to be a big issue to the partner interviewing me although I just think we didn't hit it off anyway!....

Jeez that was very unprofessional & also illegal as it is discrimination on the part of PwC. Dud they also ask you your religion & sexual orientation?
As for the OP, I think you should & can go for it if you really want it. I remember years ago one of my friend's dad had quite an established engineering career in the ESB, in fact he had started to climb the management tree, a few steps up. Now he is a well established barrister.
So go for it!

chicachic

I am 31. Qualified as a solicitor in December 2009. Since then I have been unable to secure a legal position in the relevant fields in which I trained. The lack of PQE is a huge disadvantage in applying for positions in which there are jobs, areas in which I had no hands on training. I am very ambitious and extremely hardworking but feel that I do not stand a chance.

I have considered a move to taxation, something I started while sitting the FE1's (crazy I know) but there does not seem to be a demand for this qualification either.

Now I am looking for some advice from anyone that has moved to the Legal Costs Accounting qualification. This is now a serious consideration and it depresses me to think that after all the time and money spent on my legal qualification that it is now effectively worthless to me. The idea of starting a family has also been put on hold.

Any advice on ILCA qualification would be greatly appreciated.

rocksteady36

chicachic wrote: »

I am 31. Qualified as a solicitor in December 2009. Since then I have been unable to secure a legal position in the relevant fields in which I trained. The lack of PQE is a huge disadvantage in applying for positions in which there are jobs, areas in which I had no hands on training. I am very ambitious and extremely hardworking but feel that I do not stand a chance.

I have considered a move to taxation, something I started while sitting the FE1's (crazy I know) but there does not seem to be a demand for this qualification either.

Now I am looking for some advice from anyone that has moved to the Legal Costs Accounting qualification. This is now a serious consideration and it depresses me to think that after all the time and money spent on my legal qualification that it is now effectively worthless to me. The idea of starting a family has also been put on hold.

Any advice on ILCA qualification would be greatly appreciated.

There seems to be lots of positions with the FAS intern programme for solicitors, could be a way to start getting the PQE. You can approach any firm and let them know your available for free and then they can register with FAS..Then your getting PQE in the relevant area, if your on the dole for three months you qualify.

Also to OP, if you really want to do it then you should go for it, may be the ACCA would be a good option as you can spread exams out more and the ACA have made the pass rates for exams harder.

I would probably look for a very small practice to start, learn acounts prep, auditing and do some tax. Then after you qualifiy if you want to go to a big four or industry your skills will stand to you, also if you want to set up your own practice you can stay in the small place for a few years longer and your laughin. Lots to be said about being your own boss at the end of the day.

R0N BURGUNDY

gavd4 wrote: »

Hi all
I am looking for some help or your opinions.
...
I am thinking of switching and doing the ACA qualification...

regards

I wouldnt even bother man. More effort than it's worth.

Herbalist

OP it would worry me that your age was brought up in an interview. Legally there are a number of grounds under which a company cannot discriminate against you and age is one of those grounds.

Best of luck with the career change

rocksteady36

Herbalist wrote: »

OP it would worry me that your age was brought up in an interview. Legally there are a number of grounds under which a company cannot discriminate against you and age is one of those grounds.

Best of luck with the career change

Legally Smegally, If I learned anything from working as a trainee in accountancy and from others, legally means sht these days, whos going to complain especially here in Ireland, where its such a small pool of firms and you need a reference now.Its an employers market. There is a recession so firms are extra extra cautious who they hire as they mighht not feel as confident they have the work in the future, and don't want to hire a person who loses interest are is unable or unwilling to commit to long hours and work load of two people lol

Best thing to do is just keep the head up OP, its really all down to the different HR person, manager or partner and their perceptions on reality and values, which can change from place to place. Some big four firms really value diversity and people who have a different background, usually IT.

Also a lot of acct practices and big four departments like to have young graduates because they believe they will be easily bullied and controlled. They may look at you and think you will know your rights and worse still demand them lol.

There are some decent firms out there, not to generalise completely. But in reality the UK are far more progressive in the world of accountancy than Ireland. It was the UK where proper salaries were introduced first etc...

But its definitely worth going into at any age, looks like we will all be working into our 70s anyway.. But like I said if you go into practice and learn accounts prep, audit and tax you can always have the skills to set up your own business or practice.