Accountancy jobs - what's yours?

geek84

Thanks for your reply quiet one.

Do you think my age will be a problem if I decide to take the AAT or go on to do further qualifications?

I am in my mid 40s now?

Thanks

Any

geek84 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply quiet one.

Do you think my age will be a problem if I decide to take the AAT or go on to do further qualifications?

I am in my mid 40s now?

Thanks

Why would it? Are you age selfconcious??

So far in every exam preparation class I had at least 1 person who was above the "typical student" age.

Especially in ACCA.
I think a lot of people (especially women), who have AAT qualification or A level or something - getting professional accountant qualifications 20 years ago wasn't as straight forward as now - then had children etc and once the children grew up the woman wanted to progress her career and found out she cannot go any further then let's say £25k due to lack of qualifications then decides that she cannot loose anything by starting ACCA or similar.

It is old story - you get into certain level, get good job and get settled in life and only when you try to push the boundaries you find out that you need to go further. I know lots of people like that. My boss had 10 years break between his studies and his finals.

Quiet_One

Geek84 age is irrelevant you have plenty of time and everyone studying further education/prof qualifications are mixed in age groups. Good Luck!

jessicamb

As above posters, age is irrelevant - you certainly wont be the first person to start studying in your 40s. The good thing is you dont have to commit to ACCA until you have done AAT too so if you feel that you are happy enough after that then you still have something worthwhile.

I also agree with the salary top band posted above - around 21/22k ceiling for a qualified AAT.

Good luck.

LillythePink

I have been working in accounts since 1993, I started doing purchase ledger, payments, recs etc, but then in 1998, we had a new boss who basically said that she couldnt review the accounts if she prepared them - so passed them on to me.

Each quarter was spent doing accounts to TB stage (in my area) then taking everything further and producing the FS for our company (large insurance company)

I have been doing this ever since - but a few years ago decided that yes I can do the job, so better get the qualification to go with it so started ACCA.

I had previously done AAT (but never completed it) so got exemptions from two papers and have been doing the exams on and off since - work is very very busy for me - I manage a team of 5 and am involved with everything from purchase ledger, recs, hedging, tax (for multi regions), auditors etc

I thoroughly enjoy it and was given the advice from someone at work to go for CIMA - but tbh I HATE management accounts etc - prefer figures pure and simple.

I was really worried before I started studying that it would be full of giggling 19 yo (no offence to anyone who is that age) but I was really surprised and pleased that there were a complete bag of mixed ages and people older than me (I started at 36)

I know that I don't put in as much effort as I should - but my job demands so much that sometimes I can't get my head in the "zone"!

Thanks for the tip on the open tuition - never heard of it, but have now added it to my favourites.

I WILL be qualified next year - I am going to make sure of that - 5 exams to go so the end is in sight.

Go for the exams - ACCA is good - hard work but rewarding.

Any

LillyThePink I also have 5 to go!! (sitting 2 this June).
No idea who gave you the advise for CIMA but I think you made right choice, with your job spec it seems to me that CIMA would be quite irrelevant to your job..

I know what you mean about the demands of the job vs studying... I always start working really hard on study just before the exams...:-)) Not good. Will have to improve my attitude before the final 3 P papers...

Amara

Hello! I've studied Economics in my country ,I came to UK six years ago. Now I work in a small shop. I've tried to come back to my qualifications, however, I live in a small town and I don't drive(I have my test booked in two weeks:))and I have no experience, so getting a job in finaces is very difficult. I've tried to get some voluntary jobs, but it's hard in my area. My diploma has been approved by Naric and ,because my studies, I've got
five ACCA exemptions, eight exams to go. But I still need experience . I enrolled in bookkeeping course in February, I thought about self-empoyment and getting an experience that way,but it scares me going into this without ... experience. Any tips?

minnie123

Hi just wanted to say I don't agree with AAT qualified having a ceiling earning limit of £21k I have worked in an accountancy practice for nearly 10 years and so have met a lot of work mates who have moved on etc etc I know of 3 who stopped at AAT and are yet to start ACCA/CIMA the one earns 22k and he is just starting the technician stage, the another earns 26k (AAT qualified), and the final one earns 28k (AAT qualified).

I haven't posted this to be argumentative lol I just want people to know that you can earn more with AAT.

jessicamb

Amara wrote: »

Hello! I've studied Economics in my country ,I came to UK six years ago. Now I work in a small shop. I've tried to come back to my qualifications, however, I live in a small town and I don't drive(I have my test booked in two weeks:))and I have no experience, so getting a job in finaces is very difficult. I've tried to get some voluntary jobs, but it's hard in my area. My diploma has been approved by Naric and ,because my studies, I've got
five ACCA exemptions, eight exams to go. But I still need experience . I enrolled in bookkeeping course in February, I thought about self-empoyment and getting an experience that way,but it scares me going into this without ... experience. Any tips?

I dont see how you can successfully be self employed without any experience. What service would you sell?

jessicamb

minnie123 wrote: »

Hi just wanted to say I don't agree with AAT qualified having a ceiling earning limit of £21k I have worked in an accountancy practice for nearly 10 years and so have met a lot of work mates who have moved on etc etc I know of 3 who stopped at AAT and are yet to start ACCA/CIMA the one earns 22k and he is just starting the technician stage, the another earns 26k (AAT qualified), and the final one earns 28k (AAT qualified).

I haven't posted this to be argumentative lol I just want people to know that you can earn more with AAT.

Are your friends in practice rather than industry Minnie? I think that may be the difference.