What did you do before joining Price Bailey?

I joined Price Bailey in August 2022 after graduating from the University of Surrey, where I studied Chemical and Process Engineering.

Tell us about what your role involves

I am currently a trainee accountant in the corporate team, where I work on various statutory audits either remotely or on-site with clients. Price Bailey has a great client portfolio which includes private and listed companies, charities and academies, so there is always opportunity to find your interests and learn something new.

What one thing do you like most about working at Price Bailey?

It’s an amazing place to work, especially as a trainee. The team is really friendly and there is a great support system to help you develop your personal and professional skills.

How do you make our Smart Working policy work for you?

Smart working helps me have a good work-life balance when I have upcoming exams. I can arrange to work fewer hours on the days leading up to exams and then make-up the time either the week before or the days after my exams.

Describe working at Price Bailey in three words

Supportive. Flexible. Rewarding.

What advice would you give to anybody thinking of applying to work here?

Don’t hesitate to apply if you have no prior accounting knowledge. I definitely didn’t, but there is a great structure in place to support trainees. That being said, you will get out of the role what you put in, so definitely do your research and be prepared to take ownership of your progression.

What skills are useful in this sector/profession?

Time management is a fundamental skill within the sector as you need to be able to manage your daily workload, apprenticeship requirements and be flexible enough to complete any new tasks that come up. Structuring your week and making best use of any planning resources makes a huge difference when you have a busy week!

Critical thinking is essential too, especially with longstanding clients. You need to always have a questioning mind and not be complacent with methods used in previous years as clients change and so do risks. It also helps you develop faster as you get to understand why things are done the way they are and it puts you in a better position to train other people.

Explain why you decided to pursue a career in this profession

I’ve always enjoyed maths and solving problems which is why I choose to do a degree in Chemical Engineering. In my final year I started a small business and so by the time I graduated I knew I wanted to apply my skillset within the business and finance sector. After researching and speaking to family and friends, I chose to do ACA because it aligns with my career aspirations and there are endless opportunities that are available once you qualify.

Give a bit of background on your qualifications and the training that you have completed

I joined Price Bailey as a graduate almost a year ago. In that time I’ve completed my certificate level exams and I have just sat my first two professional exams.

I have also been able to do several CPD courses either through Kaplan or Price Bailey. The courses were mainly geared towards developing soft skills like managing client expectations, but I have also been able to do audit data analytics training which allows me to support more audits within the team.