I am currently unemployed and about to go into Bankruptcy. If I wanted to retrain in debt advice / insolvency (previously in sales), what courses would be the best ones to consider and would a BR order prevent me from entering accountancy / insolvency as a career.
The best training is on the job and many companies will then encourage you to do courses such as the CPI or Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency.
Previous insolvency should not be a bar to working in the industry and the experience could be put to very good use. You could possibly volunteer for a local advice service and assist others in the same situation and this would help on any CV.
I do enjoy my job and would recommend this industry to anyone who is interested. Good luck and hopefully something will come up.
I personally believe that every insolvency firm should employ someone who has been in an IVA or BR. Just like they use ex drug addicts to work with drug addicts and so on.
It would be far better than a lot of these case workers who have never been in debt trying to relate to you when you first make contact.
That's why the forum is so successful, because we are all in the same boat with the same problems and worries, going through the same process.
Good luck David, hope you make can a career out of it.
Most insolvency professionals simply fall into this as a career rather than plan to be in it. I started out in the cashiering section at PwC - probably not even being able to spell insolvency let alone know what it is, and my co-IP started out in the post room at the firm that later became Ernst & Young.
As Michael says - the best form of training is on the job, but a good accountancy qualification will also stand you in good stead. I started out many years ago doing an Accounting Technician course, and found that a very valuable stepping stone to further professional qualifications.
Melanie, just out of interest would you employ someone in an IVA or who has declared bankruptcy? Do you ask in your interview / application form any questions in respect of this?
Bit too far away for me to work for you but I'm sure you'd be a great boss x
IVA final payment left the bank on the 26th January 2013...looking forward to a debt free future.
Absolutely - any time. We don't specifically ask, as that could be embarrassing to the applicant, but if they opened up to me at a later date I would consider our firm lucky to have one within with such personal experience. I think that clients would really benefit from having someone to talk to who has been throught this - and let's face it this is what makes our own wonderful Mr Davie such an asset.
If you were a bit nearer Lesley, you would be running my IT department singlehanded!!
