Here at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore, we are celebrating our team and the contribution accountants make to society by highlighting the hard work they perform day-in day-out. Joining us today is Debra Moore McDevitt, who joined the firm as a Trainee Chartered Accountant in 2003 and has progressed through the ranks to Assistant Manager and Manager before being appointed Senior Manager within our Business Services team in 2020.
What does your role involve, and what type of support are you providing to clients?
I have had a varied and interesting role within the firm, from forensic accounting to auditing and the preparation of statutory year end accounts and compliance for small and medium sized businesses. In recent years, I have focused mainly on the preparation of statutory accounts and compliance reporting for a variety of clients including a number of firms of solicitors. My role also involves fielding enquiries from clients throughout the year.
What made you pursue a career in accounting?
I studied Accounting at GCSE followed by Business Studies and Economics at A-Level. I have always had a keen interest in figures and the workings of the economy. With computing becoming a popular career choice, I decided to widen my interests and undertook a degree in Business Studies with Computing. However, it was accounting that I most enjoyed and this was the career route I decided to follow.
Tell us about your training and career development – what route did you take into the field?
I completed an Honours degree in Business Studies with Computing with a diploma in Industrial Studies at the University of Ulster. As part of my degree, I completed a placement year at JFK Airport, New York. As part of this placement, I joined the accounting team at Swissport International assisting with the daily accounting tasks. After completing the final year of my degree course, I decided to undertake a post graduate diploma in Accounting. Following this I was lucky to gain a three-year training contract with Baker Tilly Mooney Moore to complete my chartered accounting exams and have continued to work here ever since.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The most enjoyable part of my role is helping clients and watching them progress. As we do their year-end accounts, we can see their bottom lines increasing from year to year and that brings with it a great sense of satisfaction. Advising a company through successful growth is very rewarding.
How do you think your role has changed since you began with Baker Tilly Mooney Moore?
Technology has obviously been a big change in the job in general throughout my time here. Personally, my role has gone from being the trainee to training the trainees and managing staff, which has been a huge change and is very enjoyable.
What are some of the biggest challenges or pressures you have supported clients with?
The Covid pandemic was a surreal experience for everyone and the follow on from that has been very challenging for clients. Staff turnover in particular has been an acute challenge since then, as has been seen through the wider economy. We have helped clients to manage through this process by offering our service as an outsourced resource directly, allowing them to overcome the difficulties and continue trading. It is difficult for companies to recruit the right people into their business. We have been able to advise them in this regard and sit on interview panels to give them the support and assistance they need to find the right fit for their business.
How do you see the accounting industry evolving in future?
People talk about the impact of AI but I don’t think it will realistically ever take over an accountant’s job. AI can give three or four suggestions for a given problem, but where accountants separate themselves is that their personal relationship with the client allows them to advise on the best solution for their given situation. I do think that AI will play a role in improving efficiencies and automating some processes, but it won’t remove the human interaction and relationships with a trusted advisor.
What advice would you give to an aspiring accountant?
Take every challenge as an opportunity. Everything can be broken down into small pieces of work. Things like the professional exams aren’t easy but the process can be simplified by approaching it one step at a time and this is true of the work that comes after the exams too. Most of all, enjoy it. That stands for any line of work; if you’re not enjoying it, you shouldn’t be doing it, as the saying goes ‘if you find a job you enjoy you will never work a day in your life!’
What’s your top piece of business advice for clients?
Keep ahead of change but don’t lose sight of your current challenges. If, for example, you’re having cash flow trouble, seek help sooner rather than later. It is easier to look to the future when you have the present under control.
Contact Debra by Email: debramcdevitt@bakertillymm.co.uk or Tel: 028 9032 3466