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“Don’t think you have to be a maths boffin to be an accountant –your people skills are much more important”
The stereotype of accountants is often stuffy and highly intellectual, but that’s not true at all! Infact, your ‘soft skills’ – which really just means ‘your personality’ – are hugely important – we look for people who can work in teams, who are proactive and go-getting but able to ask for help when they’re stuck – there’s no such thing as a silly question here!
I am based in the Plymouth office, it’s in a gorgeous location on the harbourside and on a sunny day, there’s no better place to be. We’re generally quite relaxed and there are plenty of opportunities to bond as a team – our charity of the year is the Devon Air Ambulance and we recently ran the Plymouth half marathon. The social committee organises frequent sports events and meals out, so even if you’re shy to start off with, you’re sure to find something to help you integrate and make connections around the firm.
We might not be a big firm in a big city, but we are a big regional firm in an up and coming city, and there are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and branch out into different areas. One of the best things about Bishop Fleming is the clear career path – I really felt part of something as a trainee and now I’m a manager I know exactly what I need to do to move up to the next level – my aim is to become a Partner. The school leaver route is definitely not second best – you can achieve as much as a graduate, without getting into debt.
