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cometrue


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Work experience and health limitation
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Hi,

I was hoping to get some advice from you all.

I graduated bachelor's degree of Business Management (First class honours) and right after started studying ACCA full time and passed 6exams out of 14, unfortunately, I suffered some health problems which meant I had to stop formal studies. Doctors aren't sure of the diagnosis and don't really know when I might get better. I had this health problem for nearly 2years now and there is no cure for this.

My specific health problem means I can't sit down more than 30mins  nor can I stand for more than 2hours (lying most of the time in bed) so being in a classroom or working in an office is impossible for me. Continuing ACCA studies seems impossible for me, not just because of class time but also because it requires 3year job experience to become a chartered accountant.

I have been thinking hard about my options and I know that I love accounting and bookkeeping (despite having no relevant accounting/bookkeeping job experience), would love to find a way to make a living doing this.

I am considering studying to be a  certified bookkeeper (either AAT or ICB/ planning on taking as many levels as it takes to gain appropriate knowledge) and hope to be self-employed in the future. that will allow me to work while spending a lot of time lying down at home. Do you think that is realistically possible for me to this kind of work with physical limitation?

My worries is that work experience/practice is vital as a bookkeeper especially if I want to be self-employed but not sure how I can practice or gain experience with my health limitation.

Do you think it's possible for me to become self-employed without formal bookkeeping experience at a company? Are there any other ways to gain bookkeeping experience that doesn't require regular job within a company? I will try to gain experience through unpaid and/or volunteer work if it allows me to work and practice bookkeeping experience while having this health condition, do you think this will be possible?

Is there anyone else here who works as a bookkeeper while having significant physical limitations or disability? Is it naive to think I can be self-employed right after completing bookkeeping qualification?

 

Thank for your advice!!:)

 

 

 

 



-- Edited by cometrue on Monday 19th of November 2018 12:17:07 AM

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Wonhee
Cheshire


Master Book-keeper

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Hi
Can you add your first name so that it appears on your posts under the signature bar (via edit profiles).

A personal Q if I may. You say you spend a lot of time lying down. But then you also say you can stand for a couple of hours and sit for 30 minutes. Can this stand/sit situation be rotated so you get a decent chunk of the day to be able to work in? Even say for max 4 hours or 6 hours, if not the full 8?

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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
cometrue


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Hi Joanne

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

At the moment I can't alternate sitting amd standing.

it's kind of either/or situation.  after which i have to lay down and rest for a while. However I do have really cool desk which fits to my bed so i can work while I'm lying down. 

This is great for home but I can't really lay down and do this im the office of an employer.

This is the reason self employment is really the only option that I can see. 

 

 



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Wonhee
Cheshire


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Hi Wonhee
Ah right, ok. So a standing desk is out of the Q.

I would suggest though that you continue with the ACCA exams - you can study from home, probably better than in a classroom anyway as you are not being held up by the slowest but can still access tutors with the right training provider.

That way you are at least getting top draw study materials and exams, even if you cant then work underneath their membership banner/have to then resign.

Experience is going to be an issue whatever you do unless you have some fabulous contacts that will allow you to work from home and will supervise your work. I would try to sort that aspect out sooner rather than later, although to be honest, if you got the rest of your ACCA whilst dealing with your illness, that would probably persuade a contact to assist you, as you have shown determination to succeed in the face of adversity.

The biggest issue is the time you can allot to actually dealing with the clients. Can you get to meetings with them as many will need that at least once a year? More importantly how many hours actual work can you physically do in one day because the hourly rate (or fixed rate) x output could be severly restrictive in providing you with a good income.

Other immediate issue would be how to sit the exams, many of which run to more than 2 hours, even if you look at AAT.

__________________

 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
AnnieG


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Work experience
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Hi Wonhee

 

I think becoming a freelance bookkeeper is do-able if you have health issues. Although I'm qualified (which is good for CV purposes) I think experience far outweighs book learning. You could work from home remotely on a freelance basis for a practice who is willing to give you experience and take on your own clients eventually when you feel ready (which you will eventually need MLR supervision for)

My new year's resolution was to get more involved helping those needing work experience so if you are still interested in doing bookkeeping please get in touch and we can talk about maybe you doing an hour a day or something to start?

All the best

Annie

 



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A Garland
Cheshire


Master Book-keeper

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Work experience and health limitation
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Hi Annie
This post is an old one and so far the OP has not been back on since 2018.

A suggestion - perhaps you can do the usual intro that we all newbies for, via a new completely separate post.

Things we ask normally:

Usual stuff - what prof body do you belong to, do you work for yourself or in a practice/ firm, are you a bookkeeper or accountant, what qualifications, how long in role, where up to in your studies-what exams passed/with what body/in midst of doing, where based, what you did before this role? That sort of thing. Helps get to know you but also how best to pitch answers.


__________________

 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
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