AP contract just ended, ACCA still unfinished. Thinking about a paid break before going back in. Bad idea?
Was a Purchase Ledger (pure AP) at an NHS trust, contract just ended this week. Before that it was AP at a large FTSE-listed retailer’s head office. So it’s been transactional finance back to back since uni, and I’m properly burnt out on it.
ACCA part-qualified, failed SBR three months ago, retaking in September. Still paying off SFE for a degree that was supposed to lead somewhere more analytical, not just invoice processing contract to contract.
I was trying to build my way out while I still had the role. Taught myself SQL and Power BI, was partway through MB-800 for Business Central. Doesn’t seem to have been enough to keep me on, and it’s not clear it’s shifting anything for FP&A or Systems Accountant type applications either.
With the contract gone now, I’m weighing up a maths teacher training route (SCITT), pays a tax-free bursary while I train. Not planning to leave finance for good, more using this as a paid bridge, then coming back to job hunting once SBR’s done.
Few things I’d love people’s take on:
Has anyone actually broken out of AP contract roles into something more permanent and analytical? What worked?