How do you answer?
jackieshep
Feels At HomeRegistered Posts: 68
I would be interested to know what AAT members say when people ask you what you do for a living. We're not book keepers, but we're not accountants either, and to say you are an accounting technician outside the accounting profession you are met with blank looks!
I am self employed working for two companies and give myself the title Accounts Manager.
I am self employed working for two companies and give myself the title Accounts Manager.
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Burg
I'm an accountant
What you are depends on what you actually do in your job. Some MAATs are bookkeepers, some are accounts technicians, some are accountants.
Remember, anyone can call themselves an accountant, it's not a protected term, and many of us are accountants by virtue of what we do every day.
With regards the actual question of what do I do, I say I run an accountancy practice, because I spend more time being a manager and running the show than doing technical work.
Hi,
We are not CA. But as a Qualified Professional in AAT, can we say we are certified accountants? I am not sure but if a client ask you
Q. Are you a Qualified Accountant?
A. We can reply "YES" We are qualified accountant (from AAT)?
But if somebody ask us
Q. Are you CA or Certified Accountants?
A. ........................................................
What would be your answers? How do you answer this best in your own way? I find little difficult answering this.
Many Thanks,
MSB
I'm not sure 'certified' accountant is appropriate. This may inappropriately indicate you are ACCA qualified.
Kind regards
Steve
I agree, I don't get asked very often but when I do I just say accountant.
Still a little disapointed AAT couldn't think of something better than technician, makes me feel like I'm a mechanic!
I just point out I'm an accountant with the AAT and in the unlikely event that someone asks it's usually along the lines of how does this compare to a chartered accountant.
In my case as the only difference is that I cannot perform audits (not relevant to my target clients) and I cannot undertake insolvency work (which most (hopefully all) don't want to be in this position anyway).
Burg
+1
..... although today I've just downloaded VT Final Accounts and am experimenting with my first set of company accounts and I feel very thick - it's not like doing spreadsheet ETB and I feel a bit out of my depth ........ aaaaaaargh!
+1 to that, too.
Yes, thank you. An AAT is most definately not a Certified Accountant.
From all the above discussions, I think the best answer would be "I am a Qualified Acountant with Practicing Licence but I don't do Audit (If they ask about Audit)" If they ask further about the Professional Body then we can tell them about AAT.
What do you think?...
As a client would you like my answer?
Ta
With all due respect, I am at a loss as to why this issue causes such outcry. Does it really matter as long as you don't refer to yourself as a chartered or chartered certified accountant? If Jo Public can call themselves an accountant, then why not just call yourself an AAT Accountant, without some long-winded blurb justifying what AAT is or is not. If you're asked to do an audit, say you can't and refer them to a CCAB qualified.
It would make life much simpler!!
Best wishes
Steve
Steve,
I agree with you. But some people are really confused about this. They ask this question when you say you are an AAT Accountant they become even more confused.
I am sorry if I am making this a big issue. All I am trying to do is getting well equiped to answer this question properly.
Many thanks for your reply.
Kind Regards,
MSB
Like Steve says, what's the fuss?
The only people who are really interested in exactly what level of accountant you are are actually only other accountants - to see if you are cleverer than them, nothing more!
I don't think it's worth getting your knickers in a twist over
Q: Are you a qualified accountant?
A: Yes.
Q: Are you a chartered accountant?
A: No, I'm an AAT accountant
Q: What's that then?
A: It's a non-chartered accountancy qualification. It qualifies me to do everything you need. The only thing I can't do is Audit and only big businesses need those.
Q: What qualifications do you have?
A: AAT
Q: What's that then?
A: See above.
love it!
I think 'Chartered' is more dominated word for people who are in search of an accountant and most people in general think that only CA can be the right accountant for them (I dont think they are aware what the difference is really). We need to address the 'power of AAT qualified accountant'.
Could do with one...
When I say I'm an accountant I rarely get asked if I'm chartered. Although if the coversation does go that way, chartered is the only term they know. (Generally speaking outside the accountancy world)
This issue does keep coming up. I suppose because AAT doesn't give you much of an alternative to what unqualified accountants call themselves, with the only universally known term being "Chartered".
Does it matter? Only the lack of recognition you get from having the AAT qualification. I've found a total lack of awareness to the AAT brand outside of accountancy circles. Which is a real shame because I know the qualification is worth more than that!
There's quite a bit that the colleges etc don't tell their students. I started studying after taking redundancy and talking to my local careers service. They arranged ReAct funding for me and put me in touch with my college to enrol. Neither made it clear that even if I passed everything, I couldn't get MAAT without work experience. I didn't find this out until after I joined AAT as a student member just in time to register for my exams. I was lucky in that I'd found finance related work in the meantime. Most of my classmates weren't so lucky. If there's one piece of advice I'd give all students is to join AAT as a student member at the first opportunity, not the last as we were encouraged to do - it's a mine of useful information (including these forums)
Oooo - I've digressed a bit - sorry