A teenage dream of office life turns into incredible 25-year career at Prime for Paislei Godley

When Paislei Godley walked into Prime Accountants Group (Prime) for an interview in 2001, she had no grand plan to become a tax director.

At just 17, Paislei left sixth form to join the working world with one goal in mind – to work in an office.

Now, 25 years later, Paislei has been appointed director at the West Midlands firm where she started out as an office junior making tea and filing paperwork.

Her story is one of loyalty, determination and resilience, built from career progression and the personal challenges that tested her along the way.

“I didn’t even know tax was a career when I left school,” Paislei said. “I just knew I loved the office environment. I always had. Even growing up, I’d pretend play at working in an office.”

After joining Prime as an office junior, Paislei gradually worked her way through almost every department in the business.

She helped the firm move from paper files to digital systems, supported the bookkeeping and payroll teams and eventually moved into tax as a secretary. It was there that something clicked.

“I remember saying in an appraisal that I’d really like to learn how to do a tax return,” she said. “That was kind of the start of it all.”

Paislei went on to study for her ATT and CTA qualifications while continuing to work full time, progressing through every level of the tax department from assistant to senior, manager, associate director and now director.

“I’m not naturally an exam person at all,” she admitted. “Doing the exams was definitely one of the biggest challenges. You can know the job inside out, but exam training is completely different.”

Passing her final CTA exam remains one of her proudest moments.

“It was relief more than anything,” she said. “Just that feeling of ‘you’ve done it’.”

Paislei expressed that her promotion to director in June 2025 is one of her biggest accomplishments.

“I’ve always said I didn’t want to stop progressing,” Paislei said. “Becoming a director is something I’ve worked towards for years. It takes grit and effort, but it’s rewarding when you finally get there.”

Throughout her career, Paislei says it is the people and support around her that have kept her at Prime for an impressive 25 years.

“If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t still be here,” she said. “I love the team, I love the people and I love the balance we have.”

That support became especially important during some of the most difficult periods of her life, including losing her parents and facing serious health complications around the births of her children.

“With my son, I went to an appointment one day and never came back to work for over a year,” Paislei said.

“I ended up in the hospital for a long time. My manager came to see me and said, ‘You’re not working from the hospital’. We ended up doing my handover there instead.”

She laughs at the memory now, but says the kindness and understanding shown to her during those years is something she has never forgotten.

“They were always there to support me,” she said. “It was never made to feel like a problem. It was always, ‘what can we do to help?’”

Returning to work after such a long period away could have been a major hurdle, but Paislei says she slipped straight back into the team.

“It honestly felt like I’d never been away,” she said.

Now leading Prime’s growing tax team, Paislei is focused on helping others develop in the same way she was supported.

“We want to build the best team possible,” she said. “I’ve learned so much from the people around me over the years and I’d like to pass that on to the next generation coming through.”

Based on her experience, Paislei has this advice for anyone contemplating a career in accountancy.

“It’s hard work, don’t get me wrong, but don’t lose sight of what you want to achieve,” she said. “If you put the effort in and show initiative, you will be rewarded.

“I really do enjoy what I do. Tax is such a problem‑solving job, and that’s what keeps it interesting for me.

“You get to meet lovely people, help them work through tricky situations and know you’re giving advice that genuinely helps people.

“What I love most is that you’re constantly learning. If you’re someone who likes to keep developing and stay curious, it’s a brilliant fit.

“There’s always something new to get your head around and that’s what makes it so rewarding.”

Looking back, Paislei says she is grateful she took a chance on Prime all those years ago.

“I’m glad I went to that interview and I’m glad I said yes,” she said.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Prime. They’ve always encouraged me to be the best version of myself and I couldn’t be more grateful for their support.”