After AAT
jow774
Registered Posts: 465 Dedicated contributor 🦉
I am (hopefully) finishing aat now and am wondering what I can do next. I know about the Chartered bodies but as my employer wont stand the cost this isnt an option for me. Are there any courses that dont require a 3 - 5 year commitment that would go in conjunction with the AAT that I can do at my own pace?
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There's ATT if you fancy a bit of tax..0
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Yeah, I did look at that, but the nearest centre for exam to me is Brimingham which put me off a bit. Has or is anyone doing ATT and whats it like?0
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why do you need to do something after AAT? it's not enough as a qualification?0
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I'm the same beaneygirl my employer is not prepared to fund me going forward to ACCA, I would have to try and find the money to fund myself which i can't at the momentbeaneygirl wrote: »I want to do ACCA but can't afford to.
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Apparently it's serious cash and someone told me that it's £80 per exams with 11 exams (counting the exemption for having AAT).I'm the same beaneygirl my employer is not prepared to fund me going forward to ACCA, I would have to try and find the money to fund myself which i can't at the moment0 -
but why all of you want to do ACCA? Are you not happy just to have the AAT?0
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That is correct one of my friends is taking ACCA and it is £80 per exam (11 exams in total, plus exemptions) and also membership fees on top of thatbeaneygirl wrote: »Apparently it's serious cash and someone told me that it's £80 per exams with 11 exams (counting the exemption for having AAT). 0 -
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jow774 that is the same problem around where i live as well all the AAT qualified jobs is exactly the same as what i am doing, if i what to progress i need to be actively studying ACCA, ACA or CIMAAround here the jobs for AAt qualified seem to be the same as what I am already doing and I would like a step up.0 -
Also if you want to become famous or rich, AAT is not enough :001_tt2:
I want to go on, have been saving money, so I can afford ACCA or CIMA, but find it very hard to choose. Currently more into ACCA then CIMA, so I guess I made my mind up, but that would mean no funding from work (might be able to get some if I do CIMA).
The good thing is, you don't have to pay it all at one go, as you won't be sitting all 11 exams in the same year....0 -
Lol this is true Rinske
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Also if you want to become famous or rich, AAT is not enough :001_tt2:
I want to go on, have been saving money, so I can afford ACCA or CIMA, but find it very hard to choose. Currently more into ACCA then CIMA, so I guess I made my mind up, but that would mean no funding from work (might be able to get some if I do CIMA).
The good thing is, you don't have to pay it all at one go, as you won't be sitting all 11 exams in the same year....
Rinske, do you mind letting us know what makes you want to choose ACCA instead of CIMA? I am trying to make my mind up as well. My manager is trying to convince me that CIMA is the only way to go but the fact that he is so pushy about it makes me think twice.0 -
Hard to say really, but I work in an industry company, so CIMA is the logical choice.
However, ACCA has more general accounts, has a wider base, also deals with management accounts.
As I am not so sure I want to stick into management accounts, I rather would like the wider option, and if I am completely honest, looking at the units I took in Technician and Intermediate level, I liked the financial ones just a bit better (DFS & FRA).
So to me that kind of points more towards ACCA.
Now, don't get me wrong, I know CIMA does a lot of financial accounts too, but all the HR and marketing stuff is things I don't really care about. Then there is the point where ACCA lets you choose a number of units later on, which allows you to specialize into something you like, while CIMA doesn't have this.
ACCA and CIMA both allow for a short track to MBA, should I want to continue, but as far as I've found out, ACCA has also the option of a university degree and I can't find anything related to that for CIMA.
And for me very important, it is more internationally known, so if I want to move back to Holland, ACCA would be the better choice for me.
As I am 30 years old, have no plans whatsoever in what I want to be when I'm grown up, I like to keep my options open and so far it feels that ACCA would open more doors for me than CIMA would.0 -
Thanks Rinske, those are very good points. My boss keeps drumming on how many more of the big and powerful executives are CIMAs rather than ACCAs and how it gives you that more rounded business knowledge. Well, I may be aiming too low but I don't see myself rising to the top. I just want to do something I enjoy and get a reasonably good salary. What's holding me back from CIMA is exactly the management aspect of it. I prefer the exact nature of financial accounting to selling my ideas.
At my present job I mostly do management accounting tasks, so this makes it more difficult to decide if I would even like fin. accounting at all. Also, I'm not sure how and when I should switch to a job where I gain the necessary experience in fin. accounting. My boss has been very supportive of my AAT studies, I got half my expenses paid for so I'd feel like I'm ungreatful if I go on to ACCA instead of CIMA...
Oh well, luckily that's not really a decision I have to make right now, I have at least 8 more months until I can finish my AAT.0 -
Well, CIMA might be more management etc, but to become a powerful executive you can always do the MBA afterwards (at least that's my opinion).
I don't know though, I just kept swapping around, thinking maybe I should just go for CIMA, as my employer thinks it would be better and it might therefore be better for my career here, but I think my final decision is ACCA based on those arguments. Just need to convince work of why ACCA would be better than CIMA for me.
Also, depending on work, if they do want to fund CIMA and not ACCA, I'll just do CIMA and see what I do afterwards. If I swap jobs, I can always swap later or be one of those silly people who did both.
I can't help but thinking that CIMA would be easier (personal reasons, not meant to be offending/ condescending or anything else to anyone doing CIMA) and I can't explain why, so I also wonder if I shouldn't just go for the easier option and do CIMA instead of ACCA.0 -
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In London there are people that start to study accounts with ACCA/CIMA/ACA and get their first job in accounts anyway, sometimes I wish I studied a chartered qualification, instead doing the AAT and realising that is not enough :-(
(also not that valued by employers..)0 -
why bother do the AAT so? why not just go straight to do ACCA/CIMA like some people do?
In my opinion AAT is a great way of getting a foot in the door for accountancy work, whether it's management or financial accountancy.
Whatever you do after AAT doesn't really matter. Learning from experience is a great way for some people and others who prefer to study further. It's all a matter of personal choice and with AAT you got the choice.
Stepping into CIMA or ACCA (or a training contract for ACA) can be very daunting, if you haven't got a job in accounts already and getting the work experience required might be hard. If you start with CIMA or ACCA straight away with no job in accounts and finish before you find a job, you end up with a really high qualification, but no experience to back it up. Which is for a lot of employers a good reason not to hire you or tho expect you to just get the job for the experience and move on higher too soon.
AAT is a pretty good basis for further development via experience or different qualifications, as you get a solid basis in management and financial accounts. While if you started at CIMA certificate or ACCA first papers, you end up with no qualification if you drop out because it's too hard/ not your thing or other reasons.
Without meaning to sound negative to the AAT, but for a lot of firms it's just a basic qualification, that provides you with a good base for further studies.
I started the AAT, because I haven't studied for about 3 years, besides that the last accounts study was over 10 years ago and it was all in a different language, so it is a nice starting qualification to get up to speed with home learning, get used to the terms and get a nice English base for further account studies. Because even though double entry and most principles are the same, I had no clue what the terms were for the different statements etc.
It all depends on what you want though. If you like to study further, the AAT is still a good qualification to see more things and decide what you want, if you like a qualification with no further studies needed, it's also very nice, because you got a proper base and can get far with work experience.
AAT is a great start for a career into accounts and you can go quite far in whatever you want to do in the way you want to do it. I'll be very proud of my qualification once I got it, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to study further.0 -
It all depends on what you want though. If you like to study further, the AAT is still a good qualification to see more things and decide what you want, if you like a qualification with no further studies needed, it's also very nice, because you got a proper base and can get far with work experience.
AAT is a great start for a career into accounts and you can go quite far in whatever you want to do in the way you want to do it. I'll be very proud of my qualification once I got it, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to study further.
good points Rinske, however when I started the AAT I thought it was a qualification that gives me a carreer in accounts, not only at bookkeeping level. I'm now realising this is not the case, but now finally I'm on the last level so may as well I finish the qualification. Don't get me wrong, I glad in one side I did the AAT, I wouldn't work in accounts for 4 years otherwise, however after so many years studying it (6 years!!), it's quite annoying to discover that I should study also somethings else to be recognised as "proper" accountant and earn more!0 -
good points Rinske, however when I started the AAT I thought it was a qualification that gives me a carreer in accounts, not only at bookkeeping level. I'm now realising this is not the case, but now finally I'm on the last level so may as well I finish the qualification. Don't get me wrong, I glad in one side I did the AAT, I wouldn't work in accounts for 4 years otherwise, however after so many years studying it (6 years!!), it's quite annoying to discover that I should study also somethings else to be recognised as "proper" accountant and earn more!
I think most people recognize you as a proper accountant, although it also strongly depends on where you are. I am not sure how it is in London. I can understand that is annoying, although I'm not sure how you could avoid that. Before starting any study, I usually look at how often it has been asked and what they offer salary wise, but it's a bit late to change your mind now! (Also more useful to finish by now, as it's a finished qualification and would give you exemptions, rather than half a qualification to move on to the next qualification).
AAT is more than just bookkeeping, although from an employers point of view that strongly depends on what location you are (again).
I can fully understand it's frustrating. One of my colleagues asked why I didn't do an useful study and I still wonder why she asked that. But in all honesty, I don't have an answer that would stop you feeling frustrated about it. Nor do I think that's what you're looking for.
The recession sure didn't help in making jobs available though and that has changed a lot in demands and expectations from employees.0 -
hi guys
i'm with Londina i finished the AAT in february and feel that to find a job the AAT isnt enough in this climate. most companies expect a 2:1 degree or a years pracice experience!!!
I have worked as an accounts assistant/ credit control for 4 years I am not using anything i learned in my studies in my job. I am hungry to get stuck into some proper accounting work instead of chasing customers!!
So i decided to register with the ACCA as for me i think it is more financial and totally agree with rinkse!! with the ACCA you have the degree option which is a good thing and CIMA tends to be more industry than practice but the ACCA gives you the freedom.
I just need the experince god damn it!!!!!
I am AAT qualified. and i do not feel like an accountant at all!!!!0 -
Also I am planning on studying the ACCA at my own pace form home to reduce costs for the six exams, and then look at places for a mentor for the RAP for the degree, I went to college for AAT and i think self study learning suites me better, all i did was natter at college!!!
I think if youput in the time studying it doesnt matter where you are doing it!!!
Dan0
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