Anyone not even part qualified with a high paying job?

Edit: why does it seem like finance is the only sector where you need an extra qualification on top of a degree?

Hi all,

I've recently started a training contract with a firm, doing the ACA. The goal was always to get into industry and maybe eventually move into FP&A or something similar and basically just progress into FD FC CFO eventually. But that's far in the future.

Long story short, the current job market is utterly ridiculous and so you take what you get, and I got an offer for audit and to do ACA in a public accounting firm. So I took it.

Problem is, I don't think I'm suited to audit. It's long and brutal hours, and juggling that with exams has been incredibly stressful and difficult to deal with.

My question is do you think it's worth me finding a job in industry where I would have to study CIMA instead? Would the balance be better for me? And I know this will be objective, but any thoughts on if CIMA is "easier"? I'm sure no qualification is easy, but a little breathing room would be nice.

As an aside, did anyone start off in accounting without any exam requirements and then decide to do a qualification on their own accord? If so, what did you start as? I'm having second thoughts on this career as a whole, but maybe it's just too much all at once and I need things to slow down a little.

Any input is greatly appreciated, I feel like I'm drowning right now.

I have enough exemptions to start at Management level and was wondering how you guys found it.