Motivation | Career changer
How AAT gave me a new career and lease of life
Andy Murray was working unsociable hours in the hospitality industry in a role that felt very much like a job, not a career when he found out about AAT. Now he loves the stability, variety, and excitement of his work.
Leaving behind the pressure of the events industry
Andy knew his events job wasn't a long-term fit. But diving into AAT training felt scary. Exams? Textbooks? He thought those days were over! Plus, finance was a whole new world for him.
“It was a hard decision to start AAT, mainly because the last time I’d sat exams was six years previously. I had to ask myself if I really wanted to do this and if I could get into the exam mindset,” Andy told us.
“I found out about AAT as my events job involved about 10% of accounts work—taking deposits for weddings, invoicing corporate clients and bank reconciliations—the financial controller asked me if I enjoyed that sort of work and when I said yes, they told me about AAT and how you can still work at the same time by doing it through distance learning or evening school.”
“Even though I’d been doing a bit of accounting work, I hadn’t been good at maths at school, so I was hesitant to work with numbers and wondered if I was capable. Now I realise there’s so much more to it than just numbers like the legislation and compliance.”
Overcoming barriers
When he started AAT, Andy still had many challenges to overcome.
“I had to revise extensively and take lots of mock exams and practice questions—this was a new habit for me to develop. It was tough studying while in a job with unsociable hours and that wasn’t fully relevant. I had to be rigorous in planning my study time. I was working shifts, and often my two days off weren’t consecutive. I’d dedicate one full day off to study, and if I was on an early or late shift, I’d fit in a bit more revision around my shift.”
“Luckily, I got a new job quite soon as an office and finance administrator, which gave me more structure. Getting that relevant role was really important and allowed me to put more of what I was learning into practice. It’s hard enough learning without being able to do that,” says Andy.
To get himself through the challenging times, Andy would always remind himself where he wanted to get to and how he saw his future looking.
“It was hard. I wanted to quit a few times, but I knew the only one who could make the change was me. I would take a couple of months break sometimes but I kept going back.”
“It was a hard decision to start AAT, mainly because the last time I’d sat exams was six years previously. I had to ask myself if I really wanted to do this and if I could get into the exam mindset”
Getting a life-changing confidence boost
In addition to a new career, Andy can’t emphasise enough how much courage and determination he gained from his AAT qualifications.
“When I used to work front-of-house in hospitality, I felt very confident, but this changed when I moved to my back-of-house events role. AAT brought me out of my shell again. Something like presenting in front of people used to be a real no-no for me, but now I love doing it and find it really rewarding,” says Andy.
“AAT challenged me to learn new things and I found that I had the resilience to push myself to do all sorts that I thought I wasn’t capable of. My achievements with AAT helped me get rid of quite a few negative thoughts.”
“I know myself and other people who have taken AAT who doubted their ability to balance things like caring responsibilities, childcare, work, children, and social life. Going back to studying is scary, but don’t underestimate how much confidence AAT can give you and how much it can change your life.”
It's never too late to do AAT, and with solid experience in accountancy and a recognised qualification, your skills will always be in demand, so it's a great profession to choose.
“My career now is hard work, but I get so much job satisfaction from the variety and excitement, and it’s given me stability. Accounting is a job that will always be needed. With the skills I’ve learnt with AAT and experience across various industries, I’m an attractive candidate in an uncertain marketplace. AAT opens up so many avenues and gives you a great foundation but isn’t just an entry-level qualification—I know Chief Financial Officers who only took AAT.”
5 TIPS
Andy’s top tips for changing your career
1
Get a study buddy – someone to partner up with or a mentor to guide, support and reassure you. A peer network is very important, and you can find people in Facebook and LinkedIn groups or at your local AAT branch.
2
Think about where you want to be and what you’re trying to achieve. You might want a more secure job or one that better fits around childcare. Then, focus on how to get there.
3
Don’t be fearful but definitely do your research and plan how you’ll fit in your studies. Be organised and realistic with what you set yourself.
4
Getting a relevant role to your studies as soon as possible is important so you can practice your learning.
5
Think about the transferable skills you have. For me, it was teamwork, communication and IT skills (Microsoft Office) which are all essential in finance functions.
The Association of Accounting Technicians. 30 Churchill Place, London E14 5RE. Registered charity no.1050724. A company limited by guarantee (No. 1518983).