Rana trained as a chartered accountant in Ireland. She is now moving to Bermuda to work for an insurance industry company there.
I interviewed Rana to ask her what it’s like to be an accountant and to find out why all good accountants move to Bermuda!
Describe your job
My job usually involved maintaining general ledgers up to trial balance, profit and loss accounts, balance sheet, dealing with banks, supervising accounts assistants who process all the invoices etc. It was a very broad “all rounder” accounting job.
Describe a typical day in the life of an accountant
That depends on the level you’re at… I remember when I was training it varied between making coffee for the partners, answering phones, doing some admin work, collecting the boss’ suits and buying toys for his kids, doing small accounts to heading audits, attending stock takes and dealing with clients. I always dealt with clients through out my whole training time and when I moved to industry, I opened post, answered phones, did reconcilations, dealt with suppliers and banks and had lots of tea and coffee 
What did you do academically and in work prior to this job?
I graduated with a BA in Accounting and Finance in Dublin City University (DCU) after doing my
Leaving Cert. After graduating I got my first proper 9-5 job in a two partner accountancy firm and started my chartered accountancy training for the next three and a half years. So I was working full-time and studying on top of that. The only other work I’ve other done was a summer internship in an accountant’s office outside Dublin. That involved dealing with a lot of farm accounts and random small businesses
What’s a typical career path in accountancy?
A lot of people use their qualification as a foundation for doing other business related stuff, as well as setting up their own firms, working in practices as auditors etc. I’m still at the start of my career so I’m still unsure where I want to end up and what I want to do so I’m pretty much open to any opportunities. After working in practice for 4 years (during my training) I’m going to try my hand in industry in the captive insurance sector and see what happens from there. Any experience and/or exposure adds to an accountant’s portfolio and marketability. With a career in accountancy you can pretty much take the qualification with you anywhere in the world
What’s the best thing about being an accountant?
Meeting new people, working in lots of different sectors and industries, exposure to different industries and companies, ability to travel with your career. There are a lot of benefits to working as an accountant!
What’s the worst thing?
I’ve yet to find anything bad about it, though in my last job frustration was worst thing.. especially when there’s deadlines and you can’t get hold of the directors of the companies to finalise stuff or answer questions which need to be answered in order to get stuff finished..
What preconceptions about the accountancy career did you have which turned out to not be true when you started working in it?
…hmmm that it is boring and all accountants are boring Well some of them are but the job itself can be so varied and it depends on where and what you’re working at that can make it tedious and frustrating and soo boring. The funniest thing is that while I was training anyone who heard I was an accountant kept telling me “you’re so rich.” I don’t think so! The money starts pouring in seemingly when you qualify (well my wages pretty much doubled when i qualified) though the wage levels depends on sector and industries and levels etc.
Oh yeah there’s always the accountancy jokes..
What were the most noticeable differences between your previous accounting jobs and your last accounting job?
The wages. Once I qualified my wages doubled… but with that my responsilibities were also greater. In previous jobs I was still a trainee so it meant that if anything went wrong (which it rarely did) the partner could sort it but when I qualified I was answerable and responsible for everything that happened.
What’s the work/life balance like? Do you find time for other things?
This all depends on where you’re working. I found it very easy to do other things. I had the 9-5 job with a bit of over time as I chose to do it and whenever it was necessary. This meant that I got to have a life, meet friends, go out most thursdays, go to concerts, go away for weekends, etc.
You went from working for an accountancy firm to working for a company which used to be a client of yours. Was there much of a change in the work you did going from being an outsider to an insider?
As an outsider, I was doing the audit so had to rely on the client staff and management getting me the information and taking their word that everything was in order. On the inside I got a more hands-on approach on the day to day running of the company from sorting through invoices, paying creditors, dealing with banks and revenue to overseeing posting of invoices etc on to the system.
What type of person would you say this job (i.e. accountancy) is suited to?
Anyone who likes working with figures and people!
You’re a qualified accountant now. Simple question: Was it worth all those years of study and exams?
I think it was definitely worth it. I set my mind to it and got all my exams first time. After qualifying I got to take time out to travel and now I’ve landed a dream job in Bermuda… So I’d say definitely worth it 
Bermuda is a popular destination for a lot of qualified accountants. What’s the appeal of Bermuda, besides the sun and sea?
That is uber EASY to explain…third biggest financial domicile industry in the world..tax haven…offshore domicile… The experience and exposure to working in bermuda, having bermuda on your CV, opens a lot of doors in the future and I’ve always wanted to work abroad esepcially in the Cayman Islands or Bermuda because I knew they were tax havens and one of the biggest offshore FS (Financial Services) domiciles in the world. Getting in there would add to my marketability and creditiability etc. I thought you needed about three to five years post qualification experience though so when I got a call from the recruitment agency about a job in Bermuda I jumped at the chance of even being considered and then there were interviews then a job offer. I can’t wait because it’s such a huge step for my career and a very good move!! and hey it’s a tiny island in the middle of the atlantic with lots sea, sand, sun, snorkelling and random other things to do!
