Cannot get manager to sign off on Accountancy exams

Unreg241024 · 24-10-2024 10:41PM #1

Unreg account as my main account could identify me.

I completed my Accountancy exams in July 2023 and was eligible to apply for membership with my body in August 2023 but it's just been a nightmare since.

My manager wanted to review my submission for professional membership before I made it. It's essentially a work diary explaining my experience and role. As we're so busy in the office, it was March 2024 before this was done. He finally reviewed it, I made his suggested amendments before final review. I then submitted the actual application where it went to him again to formally approve to the accountancy body. It then asked him to make his own comments both what i did right and what i could improve on. This lead to him sitting on this again to consider what he would say himself.

As you can guess from the title, this is still outstanding.

I'm at my wits end with trying to get him to do it. I ask nicely, I get told xyz is the priority but it will get done then. However before z is done, abc comes up and now they're the priority. It wouldn't take a half hour if just applied some basic comments to it but he just will not.

We're a small office, there is only 3 of us (including him) and has been since the start. We've been understaffed ever since I joined and continue to be.

I can't hold the possibility of me leaving to encourage him to do it. In any event without becoming formally qualified I cannot leave anyway as nobody else would employ me.

I've been paid as if i am qualified since January 2024, so it's not a money thing but more a sense of personal pride at this stage. It's also costing me post qualified time in terms of looking at other roles. In 2026 for instance I'll only have 2 years post qualified experience when really it should be 3. It will be tough to explain that my manager was just so busy that we sat on the submission for over a year and really i'm 'qualified' longer.

The main reason I am properly fed up with it all is that last week he said he had a free hour to clear whatever work I wanted reviewed. I mentioned the application and he bit back and said not today with an angry tone that didn't leave room for discussion or reason. We are busy in the lead up to Income Tax deadline, meaning other work gets pushed until after this that keeps us very busy right up to Christmas. This is exactly why this time last year he never reviewed the submission until well into the new year.

It's making me want to look at exit as soon as it eventually does get done.

Jim2007 · 25-10-2024 06:27AM

Two things:

You've already provided sufficient information for those who work with you to identify, consider asking for the thread to be deleted.
This is a matter you need to take up with your institute, this is how these matters are handled. A request from a practicing body to a firm, can't be ignored for long.

Unreg241024 · 25-10-2024 04:28PM

Its more about keeping the other profile private rather than not identifying myself Jim.

A request to the institute would surely be a bit fractious for us moving forward. He’s a part of the same body, I imagine outlining some of my concerns could lead to increased practice reviews. It’s a good option should i decide to leave so thanks for the suggestion.

witchgirl26 · 25-10-2024 04:43PM

First off as someone who I'm gathering has the same qualification as yourself, the date of sign off doesn't really matter to being post-qualified. My diary didn't get signed off for over 18 months after I'd finished my exams due to an error with the institute & issues logging in to actually complete it. However when applying for other jobs, I just put the date I received the results for my exams as that is when you're qualified. The diary is just to confirm you've completed the on the job training & is as much a check on yourself as it is on the firm that your in so that the institute know that they are providing candidates with enough experience.

Now on to your manager. Can you book in a meeting with them and sit down & get them to go through it & sign it off there & then? I know that might come across as slightly confrontational but it sounds like you're not going to get it sorted any other way. Point out in the meeting that the only edits are the ones that were suggested but that you need this signed off sooner rather than later & it is a priority.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122760815#Comment_122760815

Respectfully I disagree with both points you made. On the first one, there are numerous small firms around the country with lots of people sitting exams. Therefore as no county or other area is mentioned, I think people might have suspicions but couldn't fully identify anyone definitively.

The second point is also wrong. The institute will not handle this matter for them. The institute will direct them back to their manager as this is a piece between the employee & their manager. The institute cannot & will not chase all the managers who haven't signed off on the work diaries - they don't have the staff to do it.

Etc · 25-10-2024 04:44PM

You can’t sit back on this otherwise it will get kicked down the road. I would suggest putting time in the Callander with him to work through it together. Explain, as you have here, that this directly affects your PQE timings and you want to resolve asap as it is and has been a personal goal to complete it. Also don’t be afraid to highlight how long it’s been and you can’t wait any longer.

Sometimes the direct approach is the only answer.

thefa · 26-10-2024 10:15PM

It sounds like the OP has been direct but maybe not persistent enough or kicked up a big enough fuss as they keep getting fobbed off based on prioritization.

Personally, I would be emphasizing the fact that you want to get your letters and be able to call yourself a quialfied accountant. Emphasis on the PQE sounds more like a person worried about padding their CV.

And that’s the thing. The only reasons I can think as to why he wouldn’t sign off on this is he is worried about you leaving or it’s personal. Hard to believe someone couldn’t carve out an hour since March no matter how busy.

For yourself, I wouldn’t worry too much about whether you’ll have 2/3 years PQE in 2026. Appreciate it does no harm but your experience and ability to sell it will be much more useful. I would never not apply for something because I was short a year if I ticked all the other boxes. Main thing is to get qualified.

You mention he gave you a bump when you qualified. Have you a good few for the local market to confirm that?

Also, is this person the owner?

spaceHopper · 04-11-2024 07:02PM

Before you annual review ask them to sign off on it. In the review, tell them you aren't going to sign off on it until he signs off on the accountancy exams. He'll be plagued by his manager to get them closed and he won't want to tell them why you aren't doing it. Every time you are asked say in 2023 I requested sign off on the accountancy exams and it hasn't happened. Once they is done you'll look at the review.

Squatman · 25-11-2024 02:24PM

set an hour aside into his calendar, and furnish teh commentary yourself in advance of hte meeting. the meeting should be a sit downs when ye can together submit the document.

Cannot get manager to sign off on Accountancy exams

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