Typically, when someone thinks of an accountant and where to do their apprenticeship, as I once did, the two main areas that are usually focussed on when considering where to work are usually accounting firms or in industry. That, I suppose, is really what encouraged me to join the FCA. As a regulator, I felt working for the FCA provided another perspective on the way firms- and particularly ones that offer a financial service - run. Not only would I be getting a better understanding of what is needed to ensure that market harm is prevented, it also enables me to make a greater difference as the implications of decisions made here could have wider reaching consequences in the regulation of firms.
Learning and Earning
Whilst I can admit that I didn’t always know I wanted to become an accountant from day one, I’ve always known myself to be someone who’s analytical and numbers based. Therefore, studying accounting seemed like the natural next step as someone about to step into the world of work, as not only would I be able to enhance skills that come naturally to me, but I would also be able to use them in a variety of different ways to ensure that the best outcome was achieved for everyone whilst employing the skills that I have learnt through my studies.
Working at the FCA
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my day-to-day work, which usually involves assessing various kinds of persons (both legal and natural) in a variety of different transactions. For me, everyday has been something new to offer, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning about what to look for when assessing cases. Many cases require a variety of supporting documents such as forecasts and accounts to help us decide on next steps on a case and I’ve also had to work with various other departments such as Supervision to ensure that we had all the information available to us from the start.
I’ve also particularly liked working with the people here. They’ve always gone out of their way to ensure that any questions that I had have been answered and that I understand why specific actions and procedures need to be taken. I’ve also enjoyed the challenge of my job as the work varies from case to case. One day, it can be the simplest of transactions, another could be extremely complex, making it rather interesting to see just how we assess different cases and how different pieces of individual information can assist us in creating a bigger picture.
My advice
If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be to always ask questions. Although the question you have may seem silly, experience has taught me that asking all sorts of questions is the only way that you will get an answer, which in turn can help with making sure that the right checks are done. Not only will this help with your own work, but it will also be helpful in assisting other people should they have the same question or if they need help themselves.
