Qualification
Daisy
Registered Posts: 1 New contributor 🐸
As a Full or Fellow Member of the AAT, what do you call yourself, a qualified accountant or just a technician? And if a prospective employer requires a qualified accountant for a position, does one consider oneself as fitting the description?
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Comments
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You are a fully qualified accounting technician - be proud of it
Usually if an advert is asking for a qualified accountant they are looking for ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW etc0 -
When people ask what I do, its simpler to say I am an accountant, rather than have to explain how my qualification differs from my wife, who describes herself as a chartered accountant ( as she is !)0
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I qualified as ACMA in 1994 but have great respect for AAT having taught it for 17 years at a well respected training company.
AAT is not only highly regarded but also a qualification in its own right. As Annette says be proud of it.
Bev.0 -
It depends who you are speaking to.
If I am talking to people in the industry or people who have knowledge of the various qualifications then I will say I'm AAT/ATT.
If someone 'on the street' asks if I am a qualified accountant then I will say yes. If they want me to elaborate then I will.
I find more people outside of the industry ask if I am chartered or certified rather than 'qualified'. I think qualified and part-qualified is more recruitment consultancy speak.
I'm all for being proud of my qualification but to the average Joe 'AAT qualified' doesn't mean a great deal.0 -
I would be quite hesitant in calling myself a qualified accountant if that is not what I was. I taught AAT for a number of years before moving into corporate training and know only too well the value of the AAT qualification. The AAT gives you the right to call yourself a qualified accounting technician. A qualified accountant are those who are members of one of the chartered bodies (CIMA, ACCA, ICAEW etc). They like AAT have to undertake a number of years post qualification experience and have to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. I know there is a lot of debate at the moment about protecting the term but if that did come in then I am sure the AAT would advise their members who practice to call themselves what they are - qualified accounting technicians who should be proud to call themselves that.
In my opinion, it would be quite misleading to inform a member of the public that you are a qualified accountant as Jo Public would assume one to be a member of a chartered body.
Bev.0 -
The AAT themselves seem to think that their Members In Practice (MIPs) are AAT regulated accountants, see here:
http://www.aat.org.uk/members/
Notice they don't use the word 'Chartered' though. I'm intent to agree with Dean. I'm sure Dean will say the same as me, in that, I certainly don't 'hold' myself out to be something i'm not.
I've also taken clients' from second rate 'chartered accountants', their work showing a complete lack of technical cpd. Personally, I'm aware that i'm not a 'chartered', almost to a be of an obssession of mine, to that end I probably work harder on cpd than some 'accountants'.
Technically, of course you are correct. If we are comparing qualifications then the AAT shouldn't compare with likes of CIMA, ACCA, ICAEW etc. However, an FMAAT that's been in the feild for say 15 years is not allowed to call himself an accountant yet a newly CCAB qualified is.
The ATT - this isn't a chartered qualifications but it is examined to a higher standard than what is involved in the CCAB qualifications. I wouldn't call myself a 'chartered tax advisor' but I would call myself a 'tax advisor'.
The public wouldn't assume anything either. I have not yet come across a client has been insistant on my explaining my level of qualification. The fact is that we are professionally qualified and we have to maintain our CPD.
You mention protecting the term 'accountant', if they do protect that term them I see it that no AAT has to worry. Protecting the term 'chartered accountant' might be different depending on how that term is to be protected. As you said there is talk about it - I see it unlikely it will happen because the 'tax advisor' and 'chartered tax advisor' will be the next long term debate!
Sorry for the long reply and i'm in no means to 'get at you', if it's one thing i've learned from this profession is that nothing is clear-cut - even if it is supposed to be.
Regards
Dean0 -
The term "chartered and chartered certified accountant" are legally protected titles anyway. I can see both sides of the argument as to why the term "accountant" should be protected and it does seem to have raised its ugly head once again by the CCAB bodies. To be brutally honest about it though, I've more pressing issues to deal with rather than worry about protecting the word accountant.
I was reading a similar thread the other day on accountingweb as this issue comes up quite regularly on there and it's amazing just how strongly people feel about referring to themselves as an accountant (I personally didn't realise it was such a big issue!)
When I qualified as an AAT (one or two years ago now!) I never called myself a qualified accountant but I did call myself an accountant because that's what I did. Strictly speaking, Beverley is correct but I think it's just a case of splitting hairs really. If you do the work of an accountant - call yourself an accountant - if you don't then don't call yourself an accountant.
Best regards
Steve0 -
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I suppose you could!! Over in Ireland they have successfully managed to protect the term so I suspect the UK based CCABs will jump on the band wagon.
ACCA have very recently asked their members on whether they think the term should be protected or not.0 -
I just call myself an accountant, if anyone asks what I do, but if they ask on a professional level or ask what my title is, then I tell them I am an Accounting Technician. If they ask more, then I elaborate. Most people are just happy with accountant. (On my headed paper I am a Licensed Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians).0
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as Steve (peugeot) has quite rightly pointed out, the terms 'chartered and chartered certified' are already protected.
I personally feel the term should be protected to distinguish those that are unqualified and those that are. However as AAT is also a qualification in its own right i also feel that the term 'accounting technician' should also be widely promoted.
Bev.0 -
You can call yourself an accountant if you wish: anyone can. But not a chartered, or certified, etc accountant. See AccountingWeb's blog on the subject of professionalism - which also has a great deal to say about the CCAB's apporach to protecting (or not) the term, and the CCAB's constituent bodies using the chartered terms as a brand:
http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=178591&d=1061&h=0&f=0&dateformat=%25o%20%25B%20%25Y
"Anyone can call themselves an accountant without any qualifications, examinations or regulatory supervision".
"In the past, the government has argued that protecting the term “accountant” would be anti-competitive."0 -
"Find an Accountant"
From the front page of the AAT website
Poodle0 -
As Steve says, I think most people have better things to worry about and I am not sure why so many members of CCAB bodies are so bothered by us lowly AAT members.
If the powers that be do decide to protect the term 'accountant' (as they have in Ireland) then I will simply change my title to tax adviser, or Chartered Tax Adviser (if I have attained membership by then).
Do you then have a debate about protecting the term 'tax adviser'? I am not sure where it ends or what it would achieve.
The only honest purpose for legally protecting a trade is for the protection of the general public and I am not sure that forcing the general public to switch from using AAT members to using ICAEW members offers them any additional protection at all.0 -
Be proud of what you are!
I personally feel that you are a qualified accounting technician, however, there is the temptation to be economical with the truth when it comes to describing your profession, especially when there are accounting bodies out there who will offer exemptions as a route to membership and even grant you the title of 'Incorporated Financial Accountant' (sounds very grand doesn't it?) and designatory letters without having to sit any more examinations.
The way I see it is, you have your integrity to think about, you have gained a very worthwhile qualification and should be proud of the professional status achieved. If you want to progress to become an accountant (chartered or certified) then use the generous exemptions on offer and study for a few years more! (with one of the CCAB bodies I hasten to add!)
Once you have achieved the status of Chartered accountant, ask yourself again whether AAT should be able to call themselves accountants, I bet you'll think differently!0 -
Once you have achieved the status of Chartered accountant, ask yourself again whether AAT should be able to call themselves accountants, I bet you'll think differently!
I'm not a betting man, but I would hope my principles won't change if and when I achieve chartered status.
I don't begrudge anyone calling themselves an accountant who befits the role.0 -
deanshepherd wrote: »I'm not a betting man, but I would hope my principles won't change if and when I achieve chartered status.
Are you studying a chartered qualification then Dean? Presumably CTA? Asking out of pure interest...
Regards
Dean0 -
Once you have achieved the status of Chartered accountant, ask yourself again whether AAT should be able to call themselves accountants, I bet you'll think differently!
I wouldn't think differently. I am 'only' a FMAAT but have worked in accountancy practice since 1991 and at management level for the last six years. I may not be Chartered or Certified but I would definitely class myself as an accountant nased on my experience and I am confident that my clients would feel the same way. I have taken on clients from well-established chartered accountancy practices where very basic mistakes have been made, for example recovering VAT on the purchase of a non-pool car. Often in big accountancy practices mistakes are made because partners/senior managers just don't have the time to check accounts jobs in great detail.
This sort of debate just seems to go round and round!0 -
Once you have achieved the status of Chartered accountant, ask yourself again whether AAT should be able to call themselves accountants, I bet you'll think differently!
Hi
Well im, nearly there (in theory before the end of the year but i'm not gonna hold my breath:001_unsure:), and I would have much more respect for someone calling themselves an accountant who is AAT qualified with several years of good quality experience and skill than i would a CCAB new qualified.Neil0
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