AAT Qualified but unable to find a job

R1tchk

Hi,

I've recently become fully AAT Qualified and have been searching relentlessly for a job within a finance based role for the past 6 months without success. I invariably get interviews for the job and the majority of the time get to 2nd interview stage too just never seem to quite have the edge so to speak and get the job.

What would be the best course of action in securing employment. I would have thought the AAT would give me the edge and make me more likely to secure emplyment but as yet nothing has come to fruition. I have decided to sign up and sit at least 2 papers in the ACCA exams in December. Question is will this make me become over-qualified and make it even harder to secure employment in a finance based role?

I do have experience of 4 years in an Accounts Administrator role, but have recently been just doing a temp admin job while gaining my AAT. So have not worked in a finance role for 4 years.

What would you recommend as the best course of action to secure employment and take myself forward with the AAT Qualification and the intention of becoming fully chartered within 3 years?

tigger37

R1tchk wrote: »

Hi,

I've recently become fully AAT Qualified and have been searching relentlessly for a job within a finance based role for the past 6 months without success. I invariably get interviews for the job and the majority of the time get to 2nd interview stage too just never seem to quite have the edge so to speak and get the job.

What would be the best course of action in securing employment. I would have thought the AAT would give me the edge and make me more likely to secure emplyment but as yet nothing has come to fruition. I have decided to sign up and sit at least 2 papers in the ACCA exams in December. Question is will this make me become over-qualified and make it even harder to secure employment in a finance based role?

I do have experience of 4 years in an Accounts Administrator role, but have recently been just doing a temp admin job while gaining my AAT. So have not worked in a finance role for 4 years.

What would you recommend as the best course of action to secure employment and take myself forward with the AAT Qualification and the intention of becoming fully chartered within 3 years?

You seem to be in the same boat as me here. I am being made redundant at the end of next month and have been looking for more finance roles ( I have held my current role for 5 1/2 years) and am also fully AAT qualified. The problem I run into and maybe you are running into is that there is stiff competition for jobs out there, and alot of Part qualified/qualified's (ACCA/CIMA/IACEW) are all going for the same roles. Because they have that little bit more knowledge and experience, they tend to get the roles ahead of us. I wish I could give you more advice on this, but as I am in the same position almost, all I can say is that I understand where you are coming from. Are you applying for roles via recruiters? Best of luck out there and hope things improve for all of us on the job market soon!

jow774

If you want to be chartered, then Id say continue as you say with ACCA but try to find work on a voluntary basis to gain some experience or perhaps go with an agency to seek part time work (sales/purchase clerk type stuff), its basic but it will give you a grounding and if they know you are studying they will soon be giving you mare demanding work (but paying you less than you deserve, sadly), this will give you the experience. Its the recession that forces the competition for jobs, but that is at all levels chartered, skilled, non skilled. The country will come out of recession eventually and the jobs market will pick up and hopefully by then you will be chartered with a bit of finance experience under your belt and the world will be your oyster, lol.

SandyHood

R1tchk

I doubt that anything on paper is holding you back. If it was I'd not expect youi to get the interviews (and certainly not the second interviews).

Looking at your posting:

R1tchk wrote:

I .... just never seem to quite have the edge so to speak and get the job.

I have decided to sign up and sit at least 2 papers in the ACCA exams in December. Question is will this make me become over-qualified and make it even harder to secure employment in a finance based role? No, but I don't see this helping your current quest for a job. Fully qualified AAT/ACCA part-qualified with 2 exams passed, is unlikely to make any difference

I do have experience of 4 years in an Accounts Administrator role, but have recently been just doing a temp admin job while gaining my AAT. So have not worked in a finance role for 4 years. This hasn't stopped you getting a second interview, so although I might prefer to see someone who has current accounts experience, this isn't having an influence

What would you recommend as the best course of action to secure employment and take myself forward with the AAT Qualification and the intention of becoming fully chartered within 3 years?
I think something hasn't worked in the interviews. There may be better candidates, but to get to the second interview stage on several occassions and then miss out I think everything else is there. Your track record and qualifications have done as much as they can. Have you asked these firms where they feel you could improve or for any guidance?

So before you look at those things in your application that are working, stop and think about the interviews that you have been having and carry out a thorough post-mortem. The more help you can gather from the people that have interviewed you the more thorough your evaluation.

NAJC

recruitment agency

Hi i have been to an interview today and just waiting to see.

I think you should join a recruitment agency. Thats what i have done. Im with reed. Just search google . They can help with interview skills and everything. They also have contacts at accountancy fims so can speed the process up.
Good luck.