Accounts Assistant Review

I work as an accounts and company secretarial assistant within the Business Advisory Services department. I regularly create management accounts and carry out bookkeeping services for our clients. I also am beginning to create some of the financial statements for our clients. Within the company secretarial bracket I do a lot of compliance work; creating statutory books, maintaining statutory books, creating annual returns, filing their annual accounts at companies house ect...

I have learned lots of new skills in this position. I am studying AAT at level 3 at college and this along with work within the office is how I am learning about accounts preparation. The company secretarial manager is teaching me about the company law side of things and I am being sent on different courses for specialist software usage and specialist sector training (like the SAR training for solicitors).

I enjoy my job on the most part the only downside is the occasional periods of stress that we pass through. I feel really supported by my manager in accounts and my manager in company secretarial. There tends to be a good team spirit and we go out for lunches or social occasions together when they arise.

I feel like my team in my department do value any points or opinions and ideas I have. We have started to have team meetings and in my probation appraisal I was able to take the opportunity to raise how I've been getting on and the ideas and issues I had.

I had a weeks residential induction course at a hotel in Northampton with all the other new starters where we learned about the company and our service lines. I have college modules that I attend when they are running on a day release system. My team have said if I ever need any help with my studies then they are happy to stay and help me and I feel that it is going well as I have passed all exams to date.

Some of the tutors aren't very involved; I found that this is partly to do with how their courses were run/structured. Unfortunately I didn't find them to be very helpful and it was all self taught. However, the lady we normally have is good and I can email her with any queries I have. I enjoy going to college and progressing my learning.

The main form of support I feel I receive from my employer is from my team in my department as they are happy to help me with my studies if I so wish.

My salary is alright and allows me to cover my expenses. I would like to be able to put more money away each month so that I can look to move out and become fully independent. The only time that can be a struggle is when I have to pay for my college fees and exam fees and expenses and then claim the money back as I don't have a credit card.

I have just started to attend networking events both inside and outside of work. I have been involved in some local CSR and charity events. I play netball with some of the girls from the office against another local team too.

Yes

I think that it is a way of gaining great skills and opportunities. It has helped me to grow as an individual and a professional person. This will help me get the building blocks I need for a long and successful career.

The best thing you can do is just be yourself; the managers and partners in the interviews want to see what you are like as a person and decide if you will fit in and work well with them and their teams. If you are well suited then you will get on really well.