We spoke to Jolene Upshall about a typical day for her, how she chose her career, and how she approaches her work…
What is something you do every day without fail?
Consume more coffee than I probably should.
What is the most satisfying part of what you do?
Finding and continuously building on connections with clients and work colleagues. I value the opportunities my work brings me to meet and work alongside my colleagues and clients, I hope that equally I can motivate them and be seen as an invaluable line of support in return.
Why did you decide to choose this career?
It’s a reputable career that would open doors for me and allow for different directions if I wanted to take them. It also provides an exciting and enlightening insight into the business world across so many sectors and business types, alongside rewarding further educational development with the ACA qualification. Being an accountant in practice is a wonderful window into so many inspiring and varied businesses.
How do you prioritise your work?
It tends to prioritise itself through urgency or complexity, although what is particularly important now is managing workflow for the team. It has been a challenging 12+ month period, and everyone has been working so hard. A frustrating part of our work is that deadlines can often hit all at once with limited flexibility.
How do you keep up to date in a world that’s constantly changing?
I check in on a number of news channels online throughout the day and, now that my kids are a little older, I can enjoy some time at the weekend reading the supplements. I try not to be overwhelmed by the pace of change and keep a grounded view of whether something really is revolutionary, or technology for technology’s sake. Changing habits and behaviours fascinate me and I will always look to find the positives in change, rather than feel a sense of threat.
Which social media platform do you visit every day?
Mainly Instagram and Twitter. I am selective with who I follow; I’m looking for inspiration, joy, and laughs rather than anyone taking themselves too seriously or up on a soap box.
Tell me about how you manage your ‘to do’ list.
I identify my time priorities for the day and assessing what that leaves me to work with on the less urgent or unexpected tasks. I’ve learnt that even a completely clear diary for the day can too often give a false sense of security that the day’s ‘to do’ list is achievable. It’s important to me that I’m realistic with deliverables, and still allow time for colleagues and clients contacting me throughout the day without making them feel they are interrupting me, or that I don’t have time to listen and offer advice or support.
St Albans