why AAT accountants are only required for Accounts Assistant jobs?!??
Londina
Registered Posts: 814 Epic contributor 🐘
If you put AAT in the keyboards search, these are the jobs coming up, how come?? I don't want to be an Accounts Assistant/Assistant Accountant forever, which other position an AAT qualified can do without the word "assistant"???:mad2:
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Comments
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Don't be so picky - it's only a name!0
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It's just a title, it doesn't necessarily mean anything.
I do think there's an element of expecting people who intend to progress to higher level roles doing higher qualifications though. So maybe the jobs you're probably thinking of are being advertised as ACCA-part-qualified or CIMA part-qualified rather than just "AAT qualified"?0 -
If you put AAT in the keyboards search, these are the jobs coming up, how come?? I don't want to be an Accounts Assistant/Assistant Accountant forever, which other position an AAT qualified can do without the word "assistant"???:mad2:
You may be slightly disillusioned.
I will agree with you that an AAT qualified person really shouldn't be doing an Accounts Assistant job (unless they want to) but as for an Assistant Accountant, that is perfectly ok.
I do not know of anybody who works as an employee accountant who holds that title and is not CCAB qualified or almost qualified.
I’m AAT qualified and studying CIMA and I work as an Assistant Management Accountant. There is no way that I would get the title Management Accountant with just being AAT qualified and to be honest I wouldn’t have accepted it anyway as I don’t feel as I have earned it as I am not that far into CIMA.
You also have to remember that the title is not everything. It’s the job specification that counts.0 -
I will agree with you that an AAT qualified person really shouldn't be doing an Accounts Assistant job (unless they want to) but as for an Assistant Accountant, that is perfectly ok.
I'm curious, what do you consider the difference between the two? Is there something you consider AAT-qualifieds "too senior" for?
I do agree that the title isn't usually that important, but it seems like you're emphasising a difference between Accounts Assistant and Assistant Accountant. I'm looking for work at the moment and I'm applying for things with a wide range of titles, including both the above.0 -
Sorry but for me it's not just a title, when you work in an organisation and your job title has the word "assistant", they undermind you or tend to treat you as admin person...this is what is happening in my company (and previous one) and I'm fed with it.
I've been studying hard for this qualification and would appreciate a bit of credit from others!0 -
Well I'm CCAB qualified and my job title is still assistant accountant, my boss is the accountant, I don't have a problem with it0
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Sorry but for me it's not just a title, when you work in an organisation and your job title has the word "assistant", they undermind you or tend to treat you as admin person...this is what is happening in my company (and previous one) and I'm fed with it.
I've been studying hard for this qualification and would appreciate a bit of credit from others!
Whats wrong with being treated like an assistant?
I did what was necessary, and alone with qualifications its paid off in the long run.0 -
Whats wrong with being treated like an assistant?
I did what was necessary, and alone with qualifications its paid off in the long run.
When my job descriptions is to prepare financial statements (like any accountant qualified) but others just think you are an admin person because you are an "assistant", yes I think this is wrong, felt like I'm lower than them, when I'm not.0 -
We may have had this discussion before but I have said in the past the following statements:
Accounts Assistant - Purchase / Sales Ledger, Payroll, General office duties etc.
Assistant Accountant - Month / Year end, MI reporting etc.
You will find that if you look on a job site under both titles, you will see a segregation of duties.0 -
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We may have had this discussion before but I have said in the past the following statements:
Accounts Assistant - Purchase / Sales Ledger, Payroll, General office duties etc.
Assistant Accountant - Month / Year end, MI reporting etc.
You will find that if you look on a job site under both titles, you will see a segregation of duties.
Titles shmikles!
In a previous job I was Financial Accountant and "only" AAT qualified. I've also had jobs were I was "Accounts Assistant" and oversaw the PL as opposed to actually doing it and did month end as well as year end, management reporting and analysis etc.
Titles are banded around these days and cloud the job market to the point where the title itself has become meaningless - how many times have I been in to shops and served by the Saturday guy call a "Consultant"?
Neil0 -
Titles shmikles!
In a previous job I was Financial Accountant and "only" AAT qualified. I've also had jobs were I was "Accounts Assistant" and oversaw the PL as opposed to actually doing it and did month end as well as year end, management reporting and analysis etc.
Titles are banded around these days and cloud the job market to the point where the title itself has become meaningless - how many times have I been in to shops and served by the Saturday guy call a "Consultant"?
Neil
Must be different outside of Yorkshire.0 -
I used to know someone who was a Finance Controller and only had Foundation level AAT & no experience. It is entirely dependant on what a company sees fit to call an individual in the job.
As Neil H suggested job titles are banded around to almost meaningless proportions.
Surely you should concentrate more on job specifcation than titles? If you are accounts assistant but are preparing TB'S, reports clearing debtors/suppliers etc, managing people and other financial reporting & jobs, it is preferable to being an accountants assistant, who you may become general dogsbody for and have no proper financial responsibility? (I have been both and being the accounts assistant has provided more responsibility, albeit it is different companies).0 -
We may have had this discussion before but I have said in the past the following statements:
Accounts Assistant - Purchase / Sales Ledger, Payroll, General office duties etc.
Assistant Accountant - Month / Year end, MI reporting etc.
Nothing wrong with these job descriptions, what about when someone comes to you asking to call a DHL, or write a letter for them, or making a phonecall for them, is this not irritating? You work in accounts, not admin...but because there is the word "assistant" in your job title, then they think you are here to assist everybody.....
This is the point of my post0 -
I am an MAAT and my position is Senior Accountant.0
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that's why your position is Senior Accountant, because you have something else apart from the AAT...
Cannot be a senior with the AAT on its own...0 -
I think a lot of the 'problems' with job titles come down to the persons ego. I never understand why it matters to some people how others perceive them because of something as arbitrary as a title. Im an assistant accountant for a listed company, and I fully respect my senior colleagues because when it comes down to it, regardless of how much I value my AAT qualification, it doesnt compare to what these guys can do with a CCAB. Hence the reason many people, myself included continue with CIMA/ACCA on completion of AAT.0
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I think it does come down to arrogance, my official job title is "credit controller" however, I do everything from credit control to wages, journals to month and year end reports and TB's. I don't care what my job title is, it's what you make of the job that counts.0
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that's why your position is Senior Accountant, because you have something else apart from the AAT...
Cannot be a senior with the AAT on its own...
I personally believe its not what letters somebody has after their name that decides their job title, its the person and character. If you have your AAT and then get your CIMA the most you might get is to a management accountant.....and thats fine, many people would be happy with that....I am a firm believer that a person defines a role and not a role defines a person. if a person continually does what a management accountant does then thats all they ever will be.
But if your a different type of character...you might take it upon yourself to do a critical analysis project in your own time of clients or your organisation or even your own position...develop improvements and proposals which will benefit you, your position, your boss, your department, your clients, your organisation etc..... see what i am saying....no matter what role a person does....a certain type of person will transform that role into something bigger and better regardless of the title of the role, because those types of people wont be held down by monotonous tasks...they need more and they are instantly recognisable by senior management.
what type of person are you? are you someone who takes a role and transforms it into your own role or someone that just does it, just like everyone else. Please understand that most people are happy with the work they do and are happy with what they have got, some people are even grateful, but you seem to be unhappy about something really unimportant, if you really are a high flier and deserve more recognition then these people usually use actions rather than words.
Hope what I have said has made sense to you
Good luck!0 -
Im assuming this is a mistake?
no paul, I know 2 named management accountants who have their specific roles and dont really deviate much from that...CIMA qualified...happy doing just what they are doing with 9-5 jobs and no weekends earning a nice little salary. thats it, and they are happy.....and thats what i meant by that comment.
not that being a management accountant is the most you can get because you could go on to be a DOF or whatever....what that comment meant was if thats as far as you want it to take you...that can be the most you ever achieve with the qualification. Confirming the fact that its not letters after your name that dictates how far you go its the person.
apologies if the earlier comment didnt make that more clear.0 -
No I just wanted to clarify, I gleaned from reading your other comments that it was probably me perceiving it wrongly.
I agree with your comments.0 -
I personally believe its not what letters somebody has after their name that decides their job title, its the person and character. If you have your AAT and then get your CIMA the most you might get is to a management accountant.....and thats fine, many people would be happy with that....I am a firm believer that a person defines a role and not a role defines a person. if a person continually does what a management accountant does then thats all they ever will be.
But if your a different type of character...you might take it upon yourself to do a critical analysis project in your own time of clients or your organisation or even your own position...develop improvements and proposals which will benefit you, your position, your boss, your department, your clients, your organisation etc..... see what i am saying....no matter what role a person does....a certain type of person will transform that role into something bigger and better regardless of the title of the role, because those types of people wont be held down by monotonous tasks...they need more and they are instantly recognisable by senior management.
what type of person are you? are you someone who takes a role and transforms it into your own role or someone that just does it, just like everyone else. Please understand that most people are happy with the work they do and are happy with what they have got, some people are even grateful, but you seem to be unhappy about something really unimportant, if you really are a high flier and deserve more recognition then these people usually use actions rather than words.
Hope what I have said has made sense to you
Good luck!
:thumbup1: Strongly agree.0 -
that's why your position is Senior Accountant, because you have something else apart from the AAT...
Cannot be a senior with the AAT on its own...
A previous FD of mine was "only" AAT qualified. When he left the company took on a CIMA qualified (although their experience was more important) yet the previous "AAT" FD could have run circles around him in some areas, particularly with gernal business and management issues.
Neil0 -
Technically you're actually a Technician.
TBH i don't caer what title i've been given.. there are worse things happening than being called an Assistant..0 -
Im an assistant accountant for a listed company, and I fully respect my senior colleagues because when it comes down to it, regardless of how much I value my AAT qualification, it doesnt compare to what these guys can do with a CCAB.
Read properly my previous post, I didn't say I don't respect senior colleagues, I said other colleagues don't recognise my position and give me admin tasks just because I'm an assistant, they think I assist everybody, when I want to assist only the accoutants!!!Please understand that most people are happy with the work they do and are happy with what they have got, some people are even grateful, but you seem to be unhappy about something really unimportant
You too Lee, please read what I said before, I'm happy with my job, I love work in accounts, but just accounts, I don't like when I've been given admin jobs when it's not my job!!!0 -
Then it sounds like either the job doesnt suit your needs, or there is some management in the company. Can you take it up with your supervisor?0
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