Whilst I aim to keep my Accounting Exam Accelerator Programme personal when helping each student with their needs, it’s easy to accidentally remove myself from the situation and create a barrier by not explaining my own personal story.
As I work with my clients, one thing that I believe is imperative is the rapport and relationship that develops and becomes a friendship, something I strive to achieve in every aspect of my working life.
I believe that building trust adds far more value to the service I provide, more than any amount of jargon or fancy theories and to do that in the best possible way would be to explain who I am and quite frankly how I ended up here.
Who Am I?
I’m James Perry, a 44 year old Chartered Accountant who lives in County Down in Northern Ireland, not too far from where I grew up.
My journey started many years ago in primary school when I dramatically failed the transfer test, and had to be bluntly told by my old Headmaster in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t particularly intelligent.
So, as a strong-minded 11-year-old, I went off to high school with the main intention of proving Mr Ward wrong, and the next five years flew by, leaving me with a handful of GCSEs and a decision to be an accountant.
Why Accounting?
As with many individuals who pursue a career in this sector, the stereotype of raking in the cash and holding a secure job with social status tempted me to go down this path.
I entered into my local college with the aim of studying Maths, Physics and Accounting at A Level, but failed Physics miserably and hugely struggled with Maths.
So I made the headstrong decision to repeat my first year, starting with a clean slate and replacing my enemy Physics with Politics, with this decision ultimately being one of the key choices I’d made in my life so far.
After 3 years of A Levels and narrowly missing out on a failed Politics grade due to poor time management, I gained the grades I needed to go to University for both an Undergraduate and Masters degree in Accounting.
I found university to be incredibly difficult, struggling with the balance between socialising and studying, but the exam process proved to be insightful on how I revised in my own way, giving me a look into how to make my studying more efficient and effective.
Once I’d completed my education and left University, the world of work loomed large and I accepted a job at a large accounting firm in Belfast working 9 or 10 hour days for minimal pay, something that could be seen as unmotivating but in fact pushed me to strive harder for a better future.
I then took my finals for Chartered Accountants Ireland and had to work as well as studying at the same time, a hard slog that left me with the qualification I desired in 2006, at which point things started to change.
I was almost instantly in receipt of much more money and far more career opportunities – all the effort I had invested in forging this path for myself started to show signs of paying off.
Whilst a part of me still stubbornly resents my old headmaster in primary school, one thing that’s certain is he gave me the motivation to achieve the life I’m now grateful for.
Why Coaching?
Underneath it all, I have always been empathic, enjoyed helping others, and get great satisfaction when I explain something to someone and it clicks with them, so coaching seemed like a natural career progression for me to make.
I have previously lectured in Queen’s University, Belfast and the University of Ulster as well as holding a secondment in Grant Thornton’s Training Centre near London, all of which have helped my presentation skills, technical ability and interaction with others.
About 6 years ago an opportunity came my way to coach someone undertaking their ACCA exams on a one-to-one basis rather than just preaching and lecturing.
I used my experience and journey regarding exams to guide and coach my client how to pass their exam and it worked, so I uncovered a process on how to tackle exams that is applicable to all exams, whether it be Accounting or other disciplines and it all started from there.
What makes it even better is that I love coaching because of the personal interaction and the fact that I’m making a difference – I enjoy coaching so much I have completed an Executive Coaching Course with Cambridge University and I also coach a local football team.
How Can I Help You?
I’m not here to brag about my achievements or make it seem like I made it to where I am with ease because that would be a complete lie; the journey from being a child learning the alphabet to entering into a working environment is a difficult one, but there are many ways to make it easier.
My Accounting Exam Accelerator Programme aims to improve your experience throughout your accountancy journey based on the journey I took and other industry experts I’ve met along the way.
There are a variety of skills and attributes I work with students to help them build, develop and further their success, including targeting the following:
- Confidence and Self Belief
- Mindset and Motivation
- Enhancing Study Environment
- Exam and Study Technique
- Reviewing Past Papers
- Critical Marking and Review of Past Papers and Assignments
- Insight on the Mind of Examiners
Why Am I Your Best Option?
Take this blog as a sort of informal interview for the position of your coach where you can uncover everything about my past in both an educational and professional environment.
The advice I can offer you is completely unique to other options out there, because I’m an exam coach rather than a tutor or a teacher.
I’ve been there, done that and worn the T-shirt, the same as everyone else, so I know exactly what every student goes through.
It wasn’t that long ago that I was going through the same pressures and emotions you’re likely to be feeling now – I was always frustrated that teachers and lecturers would only talk about the important stuff in the last 5 minutes of the last lecture of the term, omitting studying, exam structure and exam technique from the majority of the modules.
These are some of the most crucial aspects of accountancy exams and also the most common place for missed marks, so I find it imperative to review these important topics much much earlier on.
The vast majority of students fail exams not due to a lack of knowledge, but a lack of technique, process and practice in completing exams, so my promise to you is that we’ll focus intently on these until you’re comfortable and confident in your abilities.
What Will I Do For You?
I have pulled together all my experiences regarding how I motivated myself, how I studied, and how I approached exams including some weird, wonderful and wacky methods that I can offer to you.
I have also researched other techniques in order to supplement my experiences, including mindfulness and relaxation techniques.
I will tell you exactly how it is and encourage you to come up with your own ideas and solutions, but I’ll be on hand should you ever need to ask me anything or contact me at any time.
So there you have it – my complete journey so far. I hope to inspire yours in the future.