Millie's Story
How would you describe what you do and what does a typical day look like for you?
I’m working in the accounts and audit department. I work alongside the team and assist with audits whilst I’m training for my qualifications. One week I might be out visiting a client site, and another week I might just be working on accounts in the office. It’s really good having the variety, I also get the best of both worlds in terms of working with the team but also being client-facing, it’s a good mix.
What led you to a career in accountancy in the first place?
When I was at school I always used to enjoy maths and numbers, after leaving school I looked into finance-related jobs and accountancy appealed to me. I started doing my level 2 and 3 AAT in my own time whilst I was at my old job working in a bank. It was a lot to balance full-time work and studying in my own time but I was disciplined and made it work!
How did you get from that point to signing up with Haines Watts?
I knew there was a Haines Watts in Tamworth where I live and after researching the company I really liked the look of it! I didn’t actually realise before starting here how big Haines Watts is and how many offices there are around the country. Having the national support but working in a smaller local team is great, it feels more personal than being at a bigger firm.
So you’d just joined Haines Watts, did you have a clear plan and goal for how your career would unfold and in what timespan?
I’m aiming to do my level 4 AAT within my first 18 months and then after that, I will be going on to my chartered qualifications. I’m not sure yet if that will be ACCA or ACA but I would like to be fully qualified in the next 3 to 5 years.
Over the years, what for you is the biggest contribution Haines Watts has made to your career, progress and personal development?
Having exposure to so many different parts of audit and accounts. I feel like sometimes when you’re working for a bigger firm, you don’t see or get involved with the full audit. As we work as a smaller team you end up getting thrown in the deep end but in a good way! You have the support of everyone but you also get to be actively involved in everything.
What's the most interesting project you've worked on to date and why?
There was a pharmaceutical company that I worked on, it was a brand new client to us so it was really interesting to look at their systems and processes to see how it all worked. A lot of the audits I’d been on previously had been manufacturing clients so it was fascinating to see something completely different.
