Where do you see yourself?

LightningBolt

I'd like to know where you see yourself going in the next five years be it that you're only starting out in practice/industry, finished a training contract or maybe you've a few years post qualified experience.

I'm just starting out in a couple of months so the main aim is to get through my contract and learn a new language which should hopefully allow me to work abroad once the contract is completed. I could also see myself getting out of big business/accountancy altogether and going into something like a fitness related venture of some kind.

Would like to hear from others their general thoughts on what they plan to do and what extra training they're taking on board to set themselves up for whatever opportunities emerge in the next few years.

It's also a nice break from all the exam threads:)

cocoloca

Im starting in practice in a couple of months i just hope i can pass all my exams and hopefully i will still want to be an acccountant in 5 years!

prinz

Anywhere but sitting at a desk doing accountancy work.;)

kabuk1

prinz wrote: »

Anywhere but sitting at a desk doing accountancy work.;)

+1

I enjoy business, but accountancy isn't for me. I'd like to be working as a consultant or project manager for either an IT company or a renewable energy company.

kabuk1

seven-iron wrote: »

I'll qualify in three years or so, so I dont know wheter I'll have moved on from my practice because its a good one. Is it hard to have a five year plan at our stage Lighting Bolt? Or do you disagree

I think it's always good to have a 5 year plan, but it's also good to remember that it's ok to amend that plan as well. It's also good to break it down year to year. Short-term and long-term goal setting is brilliant.

prinz

kabuk1 wrote: »

I think it's always good to have a 5 year plan, but it's also good to remember that it's ok to amend that plan as well.

Especially when the repeats are coming up

kabuk1

prinz wrote: »

Especially when the repeats are coming up

Completely agree with that. I've got to resit a couple.

LightningBolt

seven-iron wrote: »

I'll qualify in three years or so, so I dont know wheter I'll have moved on from my practice because its a good one. Is it hard to have a five year plan at our stage Lighting Bolt? Or do you disagree

I don't think it's hard to have a five year plan at our stage to be honest. It's actually pretty simple, just write it down on a list. What is hard is setting out to achieve what's on your list ie. following through with your plans! It doesn't have to be a list of outlandish achievements/accomplishments you have to have achieved, it could simply be something like become qualified, work abroad for a period, be able to speak a new language, travel south america/asia for a year or something like that. At our age we're probably a lot more predictable in what we want to achieve than say people who are hitting late 20's and on.

LOL at your previous comment by the way!

Would be great to hear how people coming out of contract or who have been in the game a while are thinking though. Come on you old farts:D Liven the place up a bit, it's an accountancy forum. We're the in-crowd right....:)

seven-iron

Well said LB. you are wise beyond your years

Ok heres my plan.

get a good qual.
get experience in a sister practice (id love england or america)
get some fund accounting experience
get my handicap down
and i think ya's know what the last one would be (hint: similiar to deep sea diving) just without the sea.

dearg lady

LightningBolt wrote: »

come on you old farts:D

oh dear, guess that applies to me now, sigh.

Well I took a few years out after college to work before startin a trainin contract so I'm about half way through now but almost finished exams(I'll know if finished or not when results come out in two weeks!)

I like the area I'm workin in at the moment(education) and would be keen to stay in this area in the short term anyway. I still feel I have a lot to learn while in contract but I'm quite lucky, there's a lot of opportunities in my job to work in different areas to get as rounded experience as possible.
Once my contract is up I'll probably do some more travelling and maybe consider workin abroad somewhere. It would be nice to experience, but in sayin that, the way the economy is now, I'd be happy just to be workin.

I'd also be interested in doin a course in something wildly different from accounting, it's always good to keep options open

Clanket

LightningBolt wrote: »

Would be great to hear how people coming out of contract or who have been in the game a while are thinking though. Come on you old farts:D

Dont' know about being an old fart :rolleyes: but am qualified about 4 years. Didn't really have any goals as such when I qualified. Was basically get through the exams, finish training contract and see where I am then. Well I did that, went travelling for a year and am back in the same job I was in before went away. Would definately recommend travelling to everyone. It's a welcome break from the grind that is auditing.

Now I'm trying to learn the piano and make some music. Fingers crossed

babbar sher

Ok, Im part qualified, made redundant twice by 2 accountancy practices in the city centre in the last year so a bit down about that, but didnt loose hope. Put up an ad locally to provide accountancy & bookkeeping services & a few months later now I handle 6 clients of my own.

My dream is to get into the big four somehow!! Do some consulting training there & then move to the big investment banks or top 5 consultancies. Preferably somewhere sunny!:D I come from a very warm & sunny country so the saying that - you're always a lot more active if you live in warm climate is certainly true for me! Dont want to start a debate about weather but...! Ireland is great though! But obviously cost of living and salaries somehow dont go well here. So many taxes in different forms so definitely would love to move abroad where there is relatively less burden on the tax payer or more incentives for the normal tax payer.

Its either the above or set up my own practice with the clients I have & try to expand somehow.

In any case, would like to see myself happy & content. Be settled with my girlfriend(future wife ) & some sprogs. And just looking after them, because my friends - that is the real job!!

Good luck!:)