Life as a finance manager
Jess, an AAT professional member since 2019
Why did you choose AAT?
At 18, I got a job in an office as a receptionist. My line manager was the Management Accountant and she had studied with AAT and suggested I should too. I’m good at maths, I love a spreadsheet, which I think is a prerequisite of being an accountant, and so it sounded really interesting.
I started AAT at 21. I was working full time in the Finance department for a company doing basic administration and was doing online classes and studying in the evening. I found AAT extremely useful because it gave me the skills I needed to do my job.
How did you break into your current career?
I completed the AAT Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications and then I was headhunted for a start-up in Manchester, called Social Chain. It’s a social media company and I’ve been there for five and a half years.
While I’ve been working there, I studied for my AAT Level 4 qualification and now I’m the Finance Manager and I manage three members of staff.
What is a typical day for you?
In the morning I check to see which clients have paid and I work with the Sales team so they can follow up with clients and chase payments on outstanding invoices.
Month-end is the most interesting time for me as I have a lot of tasks including analysing the figures and checking that they all balance.
Why did you decide to follow this career route?
It was the recommendation of my first manager. I wish school had told me that it was an option. I didn’t know that you could do an apprenticeship in law or accounting. School had implied that apprenticeships were for people who were doing manual work.
Any tips for breaking into the profession?
AAT is a great foundation. They are extremely helpful when it comes to tips for working and studying at the same time. Although it’s hard work, it does mean that you’re embedding the learning.
What is the most surprising part of the job?
The most interesting part of my role is understanding how other teams work. Communication between departments helps everyone understand the Finance department’s point of view. We’re sometimes seen as the ‘Fun Police’, the department that says “no” and that asks where your receipt is, and so it helps if those departments understand what we do and why we do it.
