What are the career prospects of an accountant?

geek84

Hi Folks

I am on the intermediate stage of the AAT, and hoping to get the full qualification by the end of the year.

After that, I am thinking of progresing on to do the ACCA. However, at the moment, I am out of a job, and the only accounts experience I have is credit control.

Do you think that after completing my AAT, I should first find a suitable role and then start my ACCA course, or would it be ok if I start the ACCA without getting a relevant accounts job?

Finally, taking things to the extreme, if I did complete the ACCA without getting a relevant accounts job, then apart from being an accountant, can you give me any idea of other job opportunities for ACCA qualified people?

Thanks in advance for your response.

AK002

Do you mean without being a practice accountant?

There's various roles, things like Finance Managers/Directors of companies in Industry.

geek84

Hi

Thanks for your reply. I don't just mean practrice accountants - I just mean job prospects for acccountants in general.

Since I am planning to go on to do the ACCA, practice may be more relevant, although I believe there is a certain amount of overlap.

Thanks

PGM

Ideally you'd be in a job while doing ACCA, so good luck with that!

Although being unemployed would give you more study time, so could be worth starting ACCA in some maner as long as funds allow.

Dcollins

The prospects for an accountant are limited only by personal ambition. I've known people who started as management accountants, go on to be finance director, then managing director, then on to ownership of a successful private company. There's also no need to be limited to managment accountancy in industry, or auditing in practice. You can go on to do forensic accountancy, project work, software development etc.

You could study ACCA without an accountancy job, but I think you'll get much more out of the course if you can relate your studies to real work. Practical experience also helps you to understand what you're learning.

Good luck with AAT first though - don't wait to look for a suitable role, if you can try to get something as soon as possible, then your employer might include study as part of your package.

geek84

Hi DCollins

Many thanks for your advice.

However, the problem is how do I get my first accounting role? I am in the position of no accounts experience = no job. The only accounts experience I have is credit control.

If you can advice on how to get me first accounts position (i.e. a foot in the door of an accounts career, then I would be very grateful).

Thanks in advance for your response.

pirate

There is quite a bit of stuff on this on the forums as a few people have asked this

One suggestion that comes up is to volunteer at charities, not paid but will give some experience

HTH