Sam joined the StarBox team in late April 2022 and works in the Brighton office.
His role is an accounts clerk, day-to-day tasks include assisting with personal tax return planning, creating personal tax returns and working on a limited company’s accounts.
Morning
A good day starts with a good morning, so we’re up at 5 a.m. (early I know). A quick breakfast: usually toast, coffee, and a pint of water to get me going. I’ll have a quick 5-minute shower and get dressed for the gym. I’ll also pack two bags, The first is for work which consists of a packed lunch (although Brighton is filled with a ton of choices if I don’t have time), and a laptop kindly supplied by StarBox. My second bag holds a towel to shower post-workout as well as the clothes I’ve chosen for the day.
Commute to work
A train from Shoreham to Brighton takes only 15 minutes. With the Brighton office being located just outside of Brighton station it takes no time to walk to at all which is perfect. Getting to work earlier means I can finish earlier thanks to Starbox’s agile working policy.
I’m occasionally the first in but it’s always warm greetings and smiles whenever anyone comes through the door, The team here are super nice and supportive and really creates a new experience than the typical office job.
The work
My responsibilities as an accounts clerk vary depending on the week’s priorities. It can range from personal tax returns to preparing a set of accounts for a limited company. This means that the work I do never feels repetitive, which is perfect, as it allows me to learn new things every day.
I was someone who came into this role with no accounting background. Initially, I thought I was going to struggle in the job, but I couldn’t be more wrong. The combination of having a supportive team and being eager to learn has allowed me to pick up the work easier and helped further my learning.
Lunch
It’s 1 pm which means it’s lunchtime. I’ve got my lunch with me today, but most days I pop to the high street, which is less than 5 minutes away. Although, sometimes it’s really hard to pick where I want to go, as there are so many choices! Occasionally, we’ll go out for a team lunch, just to catch up and socialise. The last time, we went to Nando’s, which was just perfection.
After Lunch
At 2 pm it’s time to smash out some more work! As this is my first office job, I was worried that I would be lost at times; not knowing what jobs needed doing or who to go to for help. We use a system called Glide; which allows the managers to plan out your day and shows an hourly breakdown of what you’ll be doing. This got rid of any initial worries that I had, as Glide makes it super easy to follow a schedule and I’m never lost throughout my day.
Home time
It’s now home time. I leave the office at 5 p.m., which allows me plenty of time for activities outside of work that I enjoy. Knowing I finish at a set time really helps me create plans with friends and family and schedule in advance. Tonight, I am playing a six-a-side game in a new league due to our recent promotion! So I’ll head home for a quick meal before I leave for my game.
Study
I am currently studying independently to become chartered. This means that I am taking exams for my qualification in my spare time, whilst also working at Starbox. This really helps me excel in my studying, as anything I learn from my job works into what I study and vice versa. Having that real-life experience really makes all the difference! Starbox is also extremely supportive of your progress and supply exam resources to help you learn.
Want to know more about our trainee positions?
Sam, an accounts clerk based in our Brighton office, undoubtedly appreciates his work and the work-life balance that trainees get to enjoy at Starbox. So many staff point to the community feeling that the company encourages and how their wellbeing is paramount to everyone, all the way through the entire team.
To find out more about working at Starbox you can check out our website, or alternatively, you can contact us or contact a member of the team on 01903 234094.