Why should I become an Accountant when I leave school?

Did you know that the winner of Miss America 2013 is an accountant between pageants? That Mick Jagger was studying to be a Practice Accountant before The Rolling Stones became world famous? I bet you didn’t – because when you initially think of an accountant, you don’t think of glitz and glamour, you think of maths, taxes and spreadsheets. In preparation for our showcase at Kent Choices this week, we decided to debunk the top three most common myths about modern accounting (and why you should come and work for us when you know the truth).

MYTH 1. All accountants have a passion for maths

 “Working as a Practice Accountant is not the mundane number crunching profession that people believe it to be. It’s the opportunity to look at someone’s business and help them grow their own wealth. I joined A4G because it gave me an opportunity to get on the finance career ladder, NOT because I love maths and numbers”.  

That’s a quote from Luke, one of our Client Manager Assistants here at A4G. Luke is a keen sportsman outside of work – contrary to the popular stereotype, he doesn’t go home every night and mull over the complexity of an excel spreadsheet*. One of the most common misconceptions about Accounting is that you have to love maths to enjoy the job. An A-Level (A-C) in Maths and English will get you onto the career path as an accountant at A4G, but we’re not looking for the next Isaac Newton. Our tagline isn’t ‘It’s all about the advice, not just the numbers’ because ‘Just do it’ was taken. We say it because it’s true! Don’t believe me? See for yourself in point 2.

*Note: We are in no way suggesting that there is anything shameful about this pastime.

MYTH 2. Yeah but, it’s all about taxes, isn’t it?

Accountants are considered the most trusted business advisors in the UK. 70% of owner managers say they trust their accountant over any other financial advisor. That 70% aren’t just singing praises because their accountant is good at calculating taxes – they’re hooraying because their accountant has helped them to better manage their business, to understand the finances, to keep on top of law changes, to keep up to date with new cloud software developments, and plenty more. A fact commonly overlooked is that practice accountancy is client based, so it’s far more of a social profession than its introverted desk-job image suggests.

No, it’s not just taxes.

MYTH 3. It’s a man’s world

If someone asked you to draw a caricature of what you think an Accountant looks like, no doubt it would be a corporate looking middle-aged man hunched over an exaggeratedly large calculator. Actually, the profession itself has seen a massive rise in female employment and management, and with the digital world changing the way we live and communicate, it’s out with the ‘old and traditional’ and in with new possibilities and innovative thinking. At A4G, we’re a diverse bunch, with a mix of genders and ages, not to mention specialities, skills and backgrounds. Working in a practice outside of the city means we have a great work/life balance, and do manage to pull ourselves away from our exaggeratedly large calculators for some extra-curricular fun.

“3 of our partners were teenagers when they joined us and two others had only just passed their final exams. At A4G, there’s no waiting for someone to retire before you get your opportunity. 21 years of uninterrupted growth means that those prepared to work hard work enough and develop the skills required will make it.”

Malcolm Palmer, Managing Director of A4G

Thinking about this kind of career? Have a little peek at our trainee requirements and benefits here

Still not convinced? We recently came 90th in the AllAboutSchoolLeavers top 100 school and college leavers awards, and 24th for Top School Leaver Programme. Read more about the award and the finalists here.