Help Getting Into Accounting?
To keep it short, I have a degree in psychology (which I did because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in life, plus I enjoyed learning the subject academically). I then, unsurprisingly, struggled to find a permanent job. Since graduating and for the last 4 years, I’ve been working with agencies on and off to simply make ends meet.
The work is in schools, which I absolutely hate, but I could not get anything else. It is physically hard for me, affecting my mental health, and I’ve even faced sexual harassment.
Over the years, I’ve tried all sorts: I’ve tried setting up my own business (never worked), tried to get as many certifications as I could, courses etc… For example:
- Got a 120h TEFL (but couldn’t find a job with it because I’m not British native, sadly. Plus, I’m now trying to leave education)
- Got certs in Microsoft 365 Apps
- Did a software development bootcamp. Computers are a hobby of mine so I naively thought I could make it my job. Sadly after one year of constant job applications in the field, I realised I was kinda beating a dead horse.
I’m the only one in my household that can work (3 adults), so I’m supporting us all on my crappy agency pay. It’s hard. And that’s an understatement. To give an idea, last financial year apparently I had only earned £10,500. So yeah, I am tired and I just want to start a career to hopefully improve my life.
Anyways, in my most recent agency work assignment, I’m doing some admin tasks where I need to calculate things like ingredient amounts and ordering for all the students. I realised I was really enjoying that task: I could sit down finally (most days I only get to sit down for lunch, which has been affecting my physical health…), I wasn’t dealing with students and receiving abuse from them, and my brain was getting in the ‘zone’ and happily crunching and working those numbers.
I actively asked to be given that task more often, and I despaired when there wasn’t any more of it to be done.
So yes, I want to get into accounting. My teacher friends, when I told them I wanted to change into that, would say things like, “Nah, an office job is boring.”
But after what I’ve been through in the past and because of my mental health, a stable, ’boring’ office job is exactly what I need.
I would appreciate some concrete advice. How to go about entering accounting without an accounting degree? I appreciate I might sound a bit stupid.
I’ve applied to every apprenticeship I can find, but never received a reply. There aren’t many available anyways, which is a bit depressing.
Would it be worth it cold emailing companies to ask if they would hire a trainee?
On those cold emails, should I keep my degree on the CV or not? I would say on my covering letter I am looking to change careers anyways, but what would be best?
Is it 100% worth it to do the AAT L2 course? Would it massively improve my chances? I want it to an actual concrete improvement… I know nothing can be known for sure, but I am worried to pay for that course online as, and I am embarrassed to say this, it took me one whole year ‘just’ to save £700. So I have to unfortunately be very stingy with money.
Also any other advice would be greatly appreciated. I am quietly confident in my soft skills. I’ve had great interviews in the past, so I do believe I could be a great worker. I just would need training in accounting, of course. If anyone also in accounting has any tips or what they specifically look for, that’d be brilliant too.
Thank you in advance 🙏🏻