Accountancy jobs - what's yours?

geek84

Good Morning

I live in the Midlands and currently on level 2 of the AAT course. I am not working at the moment and currently applying for suitable accountancy/finance roles.

Would someone know, in what regions of the country is there most demand for these type of roles. What wouid be the top 3 regions?

Thanks

edinburgher

Dear all - looking for some introductory reading on accountancy in this thread - feel free to drop by and offer suggestions

geek84

Hi Folks
I am currently studying the AAT and out of work at the moment.

Can someone please advice what type of jobs I should apply for to get the relevant accountancy experience? I was thinking of applying for sales/purchase ledger clerk, accounts/finance assistant type roles. Would that give me good experience?

Can you think of any other job roles that I could apply for?

Out of the job roles that I have stated above, which one would give me most experience and what type of skills would an employer be looking for?

Thanks in advance for your response.

chocolatepennyfarthing

Can anyone advise which universities are best for finance and accountancy couses? Also which companies offer sponsorship?

gingerpuss

I work in a small privately run accountancy firm as a payroll manager. I love the job as it's so varied. I run a payroll bureau service for around 120 clients, and it's a full time job and more!

jessicamb

geek84 wrote: »

Hi Folks
I am currently studying the AAT and out of work at the moment.

Can someone please advice what type of jobs I should apply for to get the relevant accountancy experience? I was thinking of applying for sales/purchase ledger clerk, accounts/finance assistant type roles. Would that give me good experience?

Can you think of any other job roles that I could apply for?

Out of the job roles that I have stated above, which one would give me most experience and what type of skills would an employer be looking for?

Thanks in advance for your response.

If you have no experience any of those jobs will be suitable for a period of time.

Accuracy, attention to detail, numerical skills, communication skills and problem solving ability would all be things I would look for at this level.

geek84

Hi Folks

I am currently studying the AAT and out of work at the moment.

Can someone please advice what type of employers I should apply for to get the relevant accountancy experience in sales/purchase ledger/book keeping etc? Shall I concentrate on applying to local accountants or any local small/medium sized firms? What about sole traders e.g. painters/decorators/window cleaners etc?

Thanks in advance for your response.

dave1986

Just to throw in my 2 cents I started at 21 after finishing my degree on a CIMA course, i only got 2 exemptions and started with a SME in York.

since then ive done a year in group consolidation, a year in commercial pricing (working out the cost of products and how much to sell them for), a year in management accounts ( the most boring role on earth) and am now down in London back doing commercial pricing. i love my job now working with finance and sales i just qualified and ive booked an average salary increase of 8.1k a year (not including benefits) added to that i work good hours.

i love my job and what CIMA has done for me, cant recommend it enough if you want to work in finance but have sights on the MDs chair.

Hastobe_Katt

I started out working as a clinical scientist in nuclear medicine (with degree in physics with electronics and then a masters degree in medical physics). I was diagnosed with EDS at 17 and having increasing difficulty with the physical (i.e. clinical / patient related) aspects of the role I decided to change career to a more sedentary role so joined KPMG on their graduate training programme. Passed my ACA (chartered accountant exams - as opposed to certified chartered accountant) three years later. I had a 12 month old daughter when I started my training (and was working long hours on away jobs) but managed to pass first time.

Once I qualified I specialised in tax (hated audit!) and after a four year break took my CTA (Chartered Tax Advisor) exams. I had three children by that point aged 8, 2 and 1. Again, I took the quickest route and (fortunately) passed all exams at the first attempt. Since then I have worked for two of the big four accountancy firms as well as a couple of smaller practices (hated the latter). Last full time job was group head of tax for a UK bank.

My EDS has progressed significantly since my diagnosis culminating in having 5 surgeries in the space of three years. I now work on short term contracts specialising in international tax, transfer pricing, ex-pat & cross border issues etc. I enjoy transfer pricing as you really have to understand the business, where the risks are, what drives the profits etc. The tax work I do can save the business significant amounts of money - which is valued (unlike some of the audit work I did!) By working short term contracts, employers will take me on as they don't have to pay sick pay and I can (try) to plan surgeries etc between assignments. It also means I have a huge variety in my work which keeps it interesting and challenging. I would highly recommend temping for CV building.

Currently I'm coming to the end of a six month assignment for a big US MNE but I need to have more surgeries before I can look for something else. Fortunately, when I do work it pays well so I try to save as much as I can to cover the periods when I can't work. I've recently been told I can no longer drive a conventional car so that may create a few issues - but there's usually a way of working around things

geek84

What are the career prospects of an accountant?

Hi Folks

I am on the intermediate stage of the AAT, and hoping to get the full qualification by the end of the year.

After that, I am thinking of progresing on to do the ACCA. However, at the moment, I am out of a job, and the only accounts experience I have is credit control.

Do you think that after completing my AAT, I should first find a suitable role and then start my ACCA course, or would it be ok if I start the ACCA without getting a relevant accounts job?

Finally, taking things to the extreme, if I did complete the ACCA without getting a relevant accounts job, then apart from being an accountant, can you give me any idea of other job opportunities for ACCA qualified people?

Thanks in advance for your response.