Worked as a finance manager for 8 years in this co. Trouble is during the MCO, my boss placed me in a dead end job nothing to do with accounting and i did this job for the next 6 years. Destroyed my accounting career.

Whole day I do nothing but cut cost from other department. Hated this role. Told my boss many times that I wanted to out from this role, but my fault being too good at negotiating budget reductions that he retained me there.

I tried applying out of the company, but with this 8 years experience of doing this sampah job, no co wants to hire me. Making it worse, I am already in my late 40s.

I was too honest in my cv, didn't change it. Felt so demoralized, application after application kena rejected in jobstreet and almost zero response from linked-in.

I have another colleague in a similar predicament as me. He also was made to do dead end job nothing to do with accountancy, and he is a finance manager in my co. He got some job recruiters to "paint brush" his cv to make it look like he does closing work, budgeting, financial analysis, accounting software solutions, audited accounts compilation, internal controls, etc. But when he got his new job, he got caught by his new employers, as he struggled to proof that he could do those work, they investigated him and found that he lied in his CV, and buang kerja him.

So because of this, I am very careful not to lie in my CV and still use that dead end job description that I am currently doing to apply for work.

Still, I managed to get job interviews (not many), but I struggled when hiring manager asked me what I did in my current work. I tried to pitch my past job experience, but they were more interested in current experience. WHen they heard what i was doing is too operational, they just wasn't interested in my application.

And there was those that were interested to hire me: I did a background check on those co, and found that they were making losses, have cash flow issues, in net liability position. I didn't join them as I was concern about my long term prospects as those co show a big worry over how long they can last as a going concern,

And then there was one or two good companies, but they wanted me to work 7 days a week. I didnt' want to work like that.

Just saying, if you have kids or you are going to uni, please don't take accounting degree. I really envy those people in operation. They can so easily find jobs. My colleague even after he retired, because of his experience, his past colleague recommend him to new job. Accountants? Nobody bother to recommend us. We have to apply for jobs if current co no prospects. And then there is that dreaded finance closing. If you enter new company, new industry, you have to figure out how to do closing. Worse of all, if you have to handle finance staff everyday complain to you they want to resign because lack of prospects. When they leave, nobody else know how to do the work, understand the accounting system (so many system out there Oracle, SAP, etc). So you have to placaid the staff. Then every month closing have to stay back until midnight sometimes work in weekend. WHile you see your operation colleagues go back home at 530pm. Then finance environment also not so happy place to work, mostly women environment. I see operation people can go out to see clients, don't have to clock in to office. Everyday go into office have to clock in. Sigh...

So this is story of my life...late 40s stuck can't get out of this dreary company. My CV looks like crap because I have been doing dead end job for 8 years,, no company wants to hire me for my accounting expertise. Sigh...this is my rant.

I also want to add:
Other people in operational just look to tomorrow don't have to worry about yesterday.
Accountants? we have to worry about things 10 years ago. Why? Because suddenly internal audit or external audit will ask you things.
Have to clear in suspense account: legacy left by your predecessors to clear shit.
Sigh, again don't join accountancy, you have to clean shit years ago. And if IT don't design Oracle or SaP properly more shit will come out.
Worse of all, internal audit everyday press why this why that, then finance have to be the police other departments show black face at you.

Co getting more toxic. Battle between Team A and Team B. I am neither one, but the pressure is heating up due to stiff competition in the industry, with layoffs.

I am talking about the finance industry overall. I've done this before, (not at current co), when you come in you are at mercy of the accounting staff aunties who knows the inside out of the accounting system, industry, way things are done on the excel spreadsheet.

Currently I am doing a cost cutting and revenue chasing targeting job which is not in demand.

I can't really tell whether is my salary expectation, my age or my JD. I wish Jobstreet or Linkedin got a system whereby if employer rejects they can state the reason.


I did. Not much success

I have a question for you. DId you go straight to Marketing right after you graduated in accountancy?
Are you a double degree holder? IT/Accountancy?
Are you currently single or have family commitments?

Its exactly what I want to know. They rejecting me because my CV is not presentable? my age? my JD is all wrong?

Actually I've been trying to find job for past 5 years - still hard. Only recently past 1 year is this bad. I kena 50% rejection in jobstreet. Its the moment I hit 49. So I am kind of worried. My topic is now. Last year I never had this problem.

I wish I can take that job. Really. But I can't.
Because I've got family commitments, I can't work 7 days. I got a very young family. But that's another topic.

Co getting more toxic, I can lose my job soon

thanks I will try these words: cost avoidance, cost optimization.

I may not be soon. Co getting more layoffs.

51 and 49 not much difference but most of it is true. 6 years in dead end position, then final year I managed to move to another position.
Already got. Not much use.

I am thinking of going into real estate.

wow thanks

count my blessing. I don't think so.

As I said if you do read, previous postings there is some truths, because I am in this dead end job, until I was transferred to a reporting role about 1 year ago.

I encountered issues with the staffs but managed to make peace with them.

Now I have new issue, co is downsizing, and I may be next on the block.


Except for the last year of my tenure, whereby I was moved to reporting. The past 6-7 years I was doing just target setting, telling sales they are not meeting target

Get hated by other department for cutting their cost and pushing their targets.

Also my boss gets the promotion when we achieve target, I just get a mere bonus.

I am villified by the big bosses because I aggressively cut their budget.


That one not easy man. Esp when you are not big four firm.

More suitable for engineers.

I know a few engineers that specilized, co keep them till 65yo.

For eg, I know a british engineer who used to work in my ex co, he has special skills to set up new plant and produciton line, that's why they kept him till 65

Accountants can be found by the thousands.

Recently I attended one accounting annual convention in Msia. THere were like 3000 of us members.

And not all attended mind you.

Accountants are many and easily repleaceble.

You started after graduation, glad you've found the right choice.

Do you have kids?

I am finding hard to re-skill into another field due to the task of raising a family.

I am trying my best, but I think I am more focused on reskilling in my own field.

Audit firms are looking for young people below 30yo.

anyways, the income bracket for audit firm is a bit too low for me.

The only thing I can aim for is an Audit Manager...but as I said, I doing this operational role made me rusty in accounting standards.

I tried to read up after work, and attended training. But to no avail, without the practice, I am still rusty. Trainings are expensive, when I attend courses, it cost me like RM 500 to 2,000. My co doesn't subsidise nor allow the HRDF to be use for this.

I do admit I failed in the reskilling part, I tried to study but having to balance time to raise my kids, I am finding it rather tough to find free time to read up. I still managed to do it though but not at the level I wanted.

I am virtually stuck, can't do anything.

Career frozen...

At 50yo no career prospects

Now I have to work to survival, hope can survive another 10 years.

If piss off boss, I am goner.