Neither Charlotte nor Helen Ring initially planned a career in accountancy, but they soon ended up studying and qualifying at the same time. Now ICAEW Chartered Accountants, they are both enjoying the freedom and flexibility that comes with the profession.
Charlotte and Helen Ring took different paths at university and didn’t expect that they’d eventually find themselves working in the same sector. “I did law at university and Charlotte studied history and French, so it was an unexpected decision,” she says.
It was their mother, herself an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, who initially suggested Charlotte consider the ACA. “My degree wasn’t really vocational, so I didn’t have a clear path,” she explains. “I also finished university during Covid, which made things a bit more confusing because I couldn’t go out and meet people and ask them about their jobs.”
It wasn’t only completing a professional qualification that appealed to Charlotte, but also the variety of opportunities the ACA letters offer, something she didn’t necessarily appreciate. “I thought it would be good, but not that good!” she recalls. “Having done the qualification, you genuinely have so many options.”
Learning curve
Charlotte joined the tax team at Grant Thornton, working in transfer pricing. Six months later, Helen started her audit training at Simmons Gainsford in London. She enjoyed being surrounded by a cohort of the same age and stage – and to have the support and understanding of her sister.
“Charlotte passed all her exams the first time, but I did fail a few. She was always really comforting because she understood how painful it was to have to resit,” Helen says. “It really was a relief to be doing exams together.”
Helen and Charlotte also compared their approaches to exam strategy. “Charlotte was really good at understanding the exams and knowing how to approach them, so I started following what she was doing,” adds Helen. “From my experience at school, I thought the best way to revise was to read the textbook and make notes on it. But with the ACA, what you actually need to do is practise all the exam questions.”
Charlotte describes herself as quite disciplined and good at setting boundaries – something that definitely helped when it came to juggling work and study. “I did my first three Professional Levels exams at once, and that was stressful,” she says. “My company is really good at giving time off, though – I think if your work gives you the time and allows you to set boundaries, it’s manageable.” She trained under the ACA-CTA Joint Programme, finishing her ICAEW exams in 2023 and the CTA in June 2024 – just as Helen was completing the ACA.
“I think manageable is the right word,” Helen agrees. She admits that finding the right balance was tricky, especially at first. “I’d socialise too much or take too much time off, and then I’d lock myself away and not see anyone. But that takes a toll on your mental health, and you don’t feel good not moving your body.” She found a better balance later on, especially once she began living with a friend from her cohort.
Next steps
Having gone straight into ACA training from university, Helen decided to take some time off after qualifying. “I had a break for a few months and did some job applications – which certainly showed me, as Charlotte says, the breadth of options you have,” she explains.
“As soon as recruiters see that you have a professional qualification, they love it, because it’s already a big tick for a lot of employers. It gets your foot in the door really easily into a lot of places.” She ended up moving into industry, becoming a financial accountant at alternative fuels company Proman. Charlotte, meanwhile, has stayed with Grant Thorton, pivoting into M&A once she had qualified.
Helen had the opportunity to spend a few months in Zurich when she joined Proman, which is based in Switzerland, and hopes the role will offer more travel opportunities in the future. Charlotte, too, would love to use her languages in an overseas role or secondment at some point – “because the ACA is so flexible and useful internationally”.
It might have been an unexpected career path, but they’re both really happy with where they’ve ended up. “The ACA was definitely challenging, but it’s worth it,” Helen says. “You’ve got a professional qualification even if you don’t work in accounting or finance, and it’s a really good indicator to any future employer.” Charlotte agrees. “You have so many choices and you can try different things,” she says. “It’s hard to emphasise just how useful it is and the choices it does give you.”
Learn more about the ACA CTA Joint Programme.
