Career HELP

[TJames12]

Hi,

I'm looking for a bit of reassurance/advice regarding my current role. I have been working in audit and tax for the last 15 months and hoping to gain a TC as a career changer. However, im really struggling with the role and it's starting to impact my mental well-being so I'm unsure whether to stick it out for the sake of TC/VS applications. How detrimental would quitting be to future applications but moreover what alternative roles would be good for TC applications in the meantime if not paralegal work. P.S. I ventured down the accounting route as I failed to secure a paralegal role.

Thanks

 

[I’m_Batman]

Personally, I wouldn't stick it out if it's beginning to impact your mental health. Fifteen months is pretty amazing experience, as it is. Applications are hard enough without the added stress. Speaking as someone in full-time employment and doing the VS cycle atm, I couldn't do it if I hated my job. That said, I wouldn't quit without having something else lined up due to the potential gap in your work employment history.
I don't think Paralegal work is essential so long as you have any work that requires the same transferrable skills and something with a client-facing element. If you choose to leave, make sure you can articulate why the role wasn't a good fit for you and what you learned from the experience.
Law firms will also be hiring outside of their fee-earner roles. They will have roles for credit controllers, accountants, legal researchers, legal recruitment, and legal project management. A few of those, given your accounting background, would be good fits. I also think you would find it easier now to enter a Paralegal role given your accounting experience. If you've had exposure to any legal stuff in your current role, that would also help even if you haven't worked on it directly, I think that would go down well in interviews.

 

[wyli]

I work in tax and have a TC lined up. I agree with the above, 15 months is a good amount of time for experience and I'm sure you built up a lot of transferable skills! I used a lot of my job experiences when I was going through interviews. The only impact sticking it out is whether you have time to complete applications. I had to really concentrate on a couple of applications rather than lots, as I just didn't have the time to complete a lot whilst working full time. Sticking out a job in general won't increase or decrease your chances of securing a TC so do what's best for you financially, mentally, emotionally etc.