As part of our partnership with the ICAEW we hosted a webinar on how ACA accountants can get the most from their career, which you can view here.
As part of our partnership with CASSL (ICAEW) we try to add value to CASSL members and all ACA students/Accountants who are thinking about next steps or what the future holds in general. With this in mind we started producing ACA next steps case studies (which is a short case study from a qualified ACA who has made the transition to industry).
We recently spoke with a Senior Analyst at Amazon, who qualified with a Big 4 firm in 2010. Talentedge have placed into his team and we thought it made sense to get his take on making the move from practice to Industry.
What would be the one piece of advice you would give someone who is looking to progress their career to the next stage?
Choosing when to leave practice was the most difficult issue I faced. I think it’s important to be patient for the right role but at the same time you shouldn’t be afraid to take the leap. I stayed in practice for 6 years, and although the experience I got was invaluable, I felt by the end I wasn’t learning or developing as much as I wanted, which is when I left.
What were your long term career goals when you initially moved out of practice?
I wanted to gain new experience and develop my skillset, and this is something I still focus on in my new role. I think it’s important to always push to get new work streams/get on different projects to ensure you’re constantly getting something new and you’re learning in your role.
How have you found life in Industry?
It’s great, a totally difference change of pace from practice. You’ll learn pretty quickly whether you’re better suited for practice or industry.
What do you do on a day to day basis?
Too much to explain!! In summary I look after accounting of 2 digital product lines at Amazon. It’s a really varied role and I’ve also gained experience in dealing with customer contracts.
How has being an ACA helped in your career outside of practice?
People look to you as the subject matter expert, you help define policies and processes, and the experience of working in practice really helps you drive this.
Talentedge is a specialist recruitment consultancy that places qualified ACA’s at all levels into the Media, Tech and Consumer sectors. You can get in touch with us directly on 020 3879 9700 or submit your CV on our Contact Us page.
