Full Circle

From being an employee to self-employed to employee again

When I started blogging around ten years ago, I started off all doey eyed and excited of all the possibilities that lay ahead of me. I was going to work for myself as an accountant and fit it in while I have my kids. It took me ages to get the practising certificate and by the time I got it I felt like the application process itself felt like I had worked hard to earn it. 

Practising Certificate

I started off doing some work for myself as well as doing some freelancing work to supplement it at almost the same time as having my first daughter. With one daughter it felt like it was almost possible. I soon became pregnant with the next one and then everything got a little harder. The freelancing work I got was good and in most cases easier to do than trying to make something out of my practice. So I laxed a bit and eventually let it go. 

By the time I had come to this decision, I had stopped taking on new work and I was only doing a few accounts for friends and family. As they are friends and family I didn’t really need an expensive practising certificate along with all the other insurance and regulations required to keep this all in place so I started to question the need for all of these costs. 

Ten years later

Ten years later from when I first got my practising certificate, I have finally let go. Along with that, all the other costs of keeping the certificate has gone too and I feel so relieved of the burden. About two years ago I had an ACCA inspection and everything went fine except they decided that the insurance cover was too low for the amount I was earning. It wasn’t too much of a hassle. But I started to realise that I didn’t really want to spend all my evenings working and worrying about my business and how I was going to make a worthwhile income when I could easily work part-time and spend the rest of my time with my daughters or exploring other hobbies (such as writing) or just relaxing. 

Steady Income

Having a part-time job with a steady income is so much easier to do and I know I am lucky to be in this situation especially with the way the economy is at the moment. I also know it might not last forever or a long time but for now, it is good. I think if I was out of a job, I could quite easily go and look for another job. I have more confidence to do so. I also believe that there are more opportunities out there for women looking for part-time, flexible work unlike when I first started where all the jobs I applied for insisted that eventually (in 2-3 years), I needed to go full time. I wasn’t too keen on that idea and even though in 2-3 years, things might change, the hours were still not that flexible. That was one of my primary motivation for attempting to work for myself. 

So anyway, the full circle means that I am back to being an employee working in accounts and tax as I was before although on a part-time basis this time round.