Hilary Cairns is a well-established finance supervisor who currently plies her trade with B2B iGaming software company, Iforium. But despite her many years of experience in the field, her receiving of the 2022 International Association of Bookkeepers’ [IAB] ‘Bookkeeper of the Year Award’ could not have come as a greater surprise.
Speaking to The Leaders Council’s Joshua Jackson on our podcast, Cairns talked through her emotions following her receipt of the accolade. In particular, she talked up the significance of her receiving of the award despite working for a smaller, private business rather than being part of a larger corporate entity.
Cairns said: “This award means a great deal to me. I've worked in many different industries across bookkeeping and I think it's nice to be recognised because I'm part of a private business. I'm not part of a large organisation. I'm really one of the little people who are a small cog in a big machine really.
There are lots of people like me out there within small businesses that do a tremendous amount of work in keeping those businesses afloat who deserve recognition. The IAB help support all those people, so it is a great organisation to have and be a member of and to actually be recognised by them in this way.
Cairns was also acutely aware of how quantifiable her achievement was, considering that candidates for the Bookkeeper of the Year accolade spanned not only the UK but across the globe, including India, China, swathes of Europe, the US, and more.
“I’m just really, really honoured. I never ever thought that I was even in the running, never even dreamt that I was in the running. And so, to actually get it, really is the icing on the cake. We’ve been doing bookkeeping for many, many years. And to be recognised for it, it’s put a really big grin on my face!
“I did the initial interview with the IAB and I think they were seriously impressed by what I achieve on a day-to-day basis within the role, which for me and so many others like me is just par for the course. You have to keep going with things and it gives you a great sense of achievement that this is being seen. It’s just unfortunate I couldn’t accept my award in London in person because we were on holiday!”
Photo by Damiano Lingauri on Unsplash
