In the world of accounting, it’s essential to have more than just a surface-level understanding of our clients’ finances and business needs. Recently, we came across a great article on accountingweb.co.uk by their Community and Editorial Assistant, Molly MacFarlane, that really resonated with us. In our line of work, we get to know our clients on a deeper level, which often leads to open and relaxed conversations. Sometimes, this familiarity even leads us to handle tasks beyond our usual scope—although we do draw the line at childcare and pet sitting! However, it’s rewarding to know that we’re not just seen as “grey suits” here to balance books and satisfy HMRC, but as trusted partners genuinely invested in our clients’ success.
When you become an accountant, you brace yourself for audits, tax returns, AML and much more. But did you realise that being an accountant can also mean being a chef, a counsellor or even a private investigator?
When most people think of accountants, the cliché is to imagine work being done behind a desk and numbers being crunched. However, the reality is that many accountants have also had to dabble in other professions.
Regular contributor WinterDragon wanted to know what other jobs accountants didn’t sign up for after sharing his own experiences. He asked the Any Answers community: “What jobs have you found yourself doing that definitely weren’t covered in our training?”
From getting out the chef’s hat and cooking for B&B guests to being a private investigator and tracking down stolen stock, an accountant’s job is full of surprises. Here are some of the unplanned professions that accountants can add to their LinkedIn profiles.
The Handyman
Kicking things off is WinterDragon’s new side hustle as a carpenter.
In his Any Answers thread, he wrote: “To recount the story of when I went to visit a client, the dog got rather excited and grabbed the curtains and pulled the pole straight off the wall to bring me the curtains as a present. Shortly thereafter, I found myself with a drill in hand trying to put the curtain pole back up. It was only upon leaving and clambering back into my car did I wonder how on earth the client had convinced me to help.”
If that’s not enough, some accountants have also tried their hand at being electricians.
AccountingWEB member Steviebaby recalled a particularly festive call from a nursing home: “On Christmas Day I had a phone call from the manager with the following query: ‘Our Christmas tree lights have gone out – any ideas how to fix them?’ I asked if they had checked that none of the bulbs were loose and if that failed check to see if the fuse in the plug had not blown and, lastly, look at the fusebox to make sure it had not tripped.”
Because there’s no better way to spend your festive break than fixing a nursing home’s Christmas lights.
Counsellor/therapist
A profession that many accountants have ended up doing alongside their day job is being a counsellor/therapist. It seems like the skills for managing financial stress translate too seamlessly into helping clients with personal issues.
Bluebaron said: “I’m sure I’m not alone in having acted as an agony uncle/marriage guidance counsellor.” And to no one’s surprise, they were not alone in taking on this role.
Michael Davis agreed and commented: “It’s quite easy to slip into the emotional part of divorce and separation; although the tax implications are closely aligned.”
You can’t say that accountants don’t give it their all when it comes to client care.
Children’s entertainer
One accountant’s juggling skills took on a whole new meaning when they found themselves in the unlikely role of child entertainer during a client meeting.
“I’ve acted as a children’s entertainer a few times during client meetings (yes, I simultaneously had to go through the accounts and keep the child entertained!). Luckily, there were children’s books and toys to hand,” Bluebaron shared.
Talk about a balancing act.
Chef
Moving onto the more unusual roles accountants have taken on, we find them working as chefs.
“I had a client with a B&B. I used to go late afternoon and work there in the evening. After that, we’d talk and time would pass. It was only when there were footsteps on the stairs that we realised it was guests coming down for their evening meal. My client said, ‘Can you make soup? It’s like Ready Steady Cook only, we haven’t got 20 minutes.’ It turns out I could make soup – farmhouse so from scratch, no tins – and we don’t think the guests were any wiser.”
Ah, the classic soup or spreadsheet dilemma. Nothing says fine dining like a side of tax advice and potential food poisoning…
Private investigator
The final profession that I think only I’msorryIhaven’tgotaclue can add to their CV is being a private investigator. Imagine catching a delivery driver red-handed stealing stock from one of the clients.
I’msorryIhaven’tgotaclue wrote: “I found myself in my car outside his production unit on a dark and dodgy industrial estate at 4am watching one of his delivery van drivers loading up with pre-packed meals for his daily run but chucking on slabs of cheese and a side of cooked beef. I reckoned about £500 of knock-off stock. I took the van and unit keys and offered the miscreant a choice between resigning there and then or facing the police.”
The things accountants do for their clients – saving the day one slab of cheese at a time.
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