Accountant

I have responsibility for preparing the monthly management accounts for the different divisions of Lindum. This includes Cost Value Reporting (CVR) for our current/active sites to forecast future revenue and costs to predict the margin levels at the end of the project (i.e. how money we’ll make at the end). I also have responsibility to reconcile our bank account on a daily basis, as well as reconciling key control accounts throughout the month.

What do you like about your job?

Lindum is a great company to work for – they look after their employees and make you feel valued, they listen to your opinions and encourage you to make a difference. I also enjoy the problem solving aspect of my job, nothing is ever straightforward so you have to use your brain and take logical steps to get to the bottom of the problem. My job is very varied and the wide ranging tasks that I have to undertake on a day to day basis keeps it interesting.

What’s your working day like?

It’s often very busy at times, especially when I’m working towards the preparation of the monthly management accounts, but each working day is different as you can juggle the different tasks around depending on workload and deadlines to suit you. 

What skills do you need in your job?

You definitely need to have a high level of accuracy and a good eye for detail for solving problems.

What was your background before starting this role?

I studied Accounting, Business Finance & Management (ABFM) at the University of York, and did an 8 month work experience working alongside an accountant to gain valuable experience. I also completed the AAT qualification which has helped me gain MAAT status recently.

What are you most proud of in your career?

One of my best achievements was graduating with a 2:2 in my accountancy degree, and then completing the AAT qualification via home learning in my spare time so I could gain my MAAT status. I’m also really proud of securing my job at Lindum and developing my skills within the company.

Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

Hopefully, I’ll still be working for Lindum, but undertaking more advanced tasks and gaining increased responsibilities. I’d also like to move onto a more advanced qualification to develop my knowledge further, such as ACCA/CIMA/ACA.

A bit of advice of anyone thinking of a career in construction?

Construction is not just about ‘building things’ and ‘working on site’ – there are loads of opportunities within the industry which people may not realise e.g. Accounts, Marketing, Legal, HR. It’s a fast paced environment and things are always changing – so if you like to keep busy and are up for a challenge, then a career in construction is definitely worth considering.

Stephen McKane is an Accountant for Robertson Group Limited

What does your role involve?

My role involves the weekly consolidation and reporting of Robertson’s cash flow forecasting and all monthly statutory reporting of VAT and CIS Tax.  I also assist with monthly management accounts reporting, annual budgeting processes, inter company reconciliations and audit process.

What do you like about your job?

I enjoy the satisfaction of producing accurate management reports whilst adhering to strict time deadlines and reporting to external bodies with quality information.

What's your working day like?

My working day is normally a series of tasks that have a cyclical repetition both weekly and monthly.  I also assist other colleagues with accounting queries.

What skills do you need in your job?

You need to have good interpersonal relationship skills and good MS Excel and Word abilities.  You also need an excellent adherence to detail and a general flexible attitude to workload.

What was your background before starting this role?

I have had a variety of accounting roles, mainly in manufacturing environments.

What are you most proud of in your career?

It is difficult to single out a specific moment. I am proud of every task when done well, adhering to reporting deadlines and making a perceived contribution to the company’s worth.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

If not retired and enjoying myself, then doing exactly what I am doing today, hopefully for the same company.

A bit of advice for anyone thinking about a career in construction?

If you take pride in doing a task well to strict deadlines with adherence to detail, then why not?!